Dragon's Kiss
by Jupiter 13
Summary: Princess gets abducted by Dragon. Brave Knight goes to save Princess. Brave Knight slays Dragon and saves Princess. Brave Knight falls in love with Princess. Brave Knight and Princess marry. Your usual fairytale, right? …How about a new version? AU, SLASH
1. The curse at the Copper Tables

Dragon Kiss

**Summary:**** Princess gets abducted by Dragon. Brave Knight goes to save Princess. Brave Knight slays Dragon and saves Princess. Brave Knight falls in love with Princess. Brave Knight and Princess marry. Your usual fairytale, right? Except that in this one, Princess is a stubborn boy, Dragon is a sarcastic teenager, and Brave Knight is not so brave… AU, SLASH**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own**

**Warnings: SLASH!!! (As always) S/J, Yamis/Hikaris, T/D, Violence (mostly in later chapters) and a lemon (LATER!)**

Prologue: The Curse at the copper tables

As far as anyone knew, the copper tables had existed since the beginning of time, and it was said that not even the nymphs, the oldest now living creatures, knew from where they came. Some believed the tables to have been put there by old, now forgotten gods in one last desperate attempt at being remembered. Others meant that they had always existed; that they were the very crib from where life and universe had sprung. But no one could really be sure.

The copper tables looked like four large boulders in square shape, made purely out of the metal copper. They stood in the middle of a giant circle of stone, with one table pointing at north, one at south, one at west and one at east. For as long as anyone could remember, the tables had been used during important meetings between the tribes, and it was a sacred place where enemies were never allowed to attack one another.

It was during a warm summer night that our story begins. The moon was hanging high above the earth, and at the stone tables, torches were burning; the only light in this dark night. The fire cast a magical glow over the place, making it seem even more enchanted than it already was. It was easy to understand that it was on this mystical place that an adventure and legend would begin.

They all appeared at once; the dragons from north, the mages from east, the humans from west and witch masters from south. For a couple of minutes, the different companies simply stood outside the circle, silently watching each other, some with distaste, others with gritted teeth and dutiful expressions.

Then, as one, the four clan leaders left their escorts, stepped into the circle and stood in front of the tables.

Youngest of the four was the king of mages, Atemu. He seemed to be not a day over twenty, and quite short, but still held a certain air of authority, with his spiky, black, violet and blond hair, darkly tanned skin and sharp, red eyes. Dressed in the black cape of all magicians, and with the golden eye on his forehead, he was truly a sight to behold.

Still, he looked very small beside the dragon lord.

Mordechai, king of dragons, was not only ten metres tall, but looked truly lethal with his swelling muscles, hidden beneath light blue, shimmering scales and with the huge wings folded on his back. From the top of his head, to the tip of his tail, he had small thorns that followed his neck, spine and tailbone, and ended in three large thorns at the end of his tail. Named tail was currently wrapped around his hind legs, and his front paws, with the long claws, were placed firmly in front of him. The long neck ended with a well shaped dragon head, and from that head, a pair of sapphire eyes were watching everything that was going on, both inside and outside of the circle.

To his left, the far less glamorous human emperor was standing with one hand resting relaxed on his sword handle. Emperor Quentin was dressed only in a dark blue suit and the golden crown on his head. From the crown, the ruler's diamond was shining; a contrast to his dark brown, almost black, hair. His face held the same arrogant small smile that the human emperors had held trough all times, since he knew that even during this terrible war, his land and people were safe.

The last leader, and only woman, was the witch masters' queen; Lakishma. Her long, blond hair was falling over her shoulders and all the way down to the ground, despite the fact that she had it put up in a high braid. An emerald green veil covered her whole body; the only parts of her visible were the beautiful but maniacal face, and the hair. Beneath the black eyes, small diamonds had been pressed into the skin, almost like tears that were sliding backwards, in an elegant bow, towards her ears, instead of down her cheeks. The effect was beautiful, but must have been painful. She was eyeing Mordechai with a mix of disgust and watchfulness.

Atemu was the first to break the heavy silence. He took a step forward, and bowed humbly to each and every one of his fellow clan leaders.

"I, Atemu, king of magicians, welcome you all to this meeting, and thank you for responding to my message, on this the first night of the eleventh month in the 1111th year after the union." He made a pause, and took a deep breath. "You all know why we are here: for fifty years, the war of our tribes has been raging… for fifty years innocent men and women from all tribes have been giving their lives for a cause that none of them can even remember. My father was a dear friend of yours, Quentin," he turned to look a the human emperor, "But when the Witch queen Laijla declared war against the dragon tribe, my father chose to support the dragons, and yours chose the Witch mistress's side. Now both of them have left for the next world, along with Laijla and the former dragon king, Azoth, and we, a new, young group of leaders have taken their place."

He paused, and after taking one good look at the other two leaders he turned to the dragon lord. With an encouraging nod he stepped back to let Mordechai speak. The dragon didn't even have to rise, but sat at the exact same spot as he spoke in soft, dark growls.

"My wife has just given birth to my second son, and I do not wish for my children to grow up in times of war. My oldest have already begun his training, but I do not want him to use his skills to kill humans, or witches. I believe Atemu already said most of what I think, so I'd only like to add this: we are all new leaders, and we have been given a chance to end what our predecessors began. Let us take that chance. Let us unite once again, as brothers and sisters, in honour and a new union. I know that none of us truly want this war."

As Mordechai ended his speech, silence fell heavily over the circle. From outside of it, their respective companies were watching in silence.

"So in short," Emperor Quentin concluded at last, "this is a peace offering."

"This is so much more than that," Atemu answered. "We're also offering a chance to start over and forget this dark time between the tribes. I would very much like to resume the friendship our fathers shared before the war."

Quentin seemed to think about this, but before he could speak once more, Lakishma interrupted him.

"I am," she began, with a voice as cold as ice, "deeply insulted by this pathetic offering."

Atemu's crimson eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, but the witch mistress raised her hand to silence him.

"Fist of all, you are talking as if you knew anything about me. You say that the people dying in the war can't remember what they are fighting for, which is a grave lie when it comes to my people. Every man, woman and child know why we are fighting; to terminate those… _reptiles_ who dare think that they have a place in the union, and believe that they are equals to us."

She spoke the word "reptiles" with deep contempt, and combined it with a repulsed glance at Mordechai.

"Second of all," she continued, "you say that none of us want this war, when my whole kind is ready to fight, bleed and _die_, just to see the day when those monsters, those abnormalities, are completely exterminated."

Suddenly, Mordechai stood up and spread his wings wide. The growl coming from his throat spoke of power and the ability to inflict pain.

"So that is your opinion?" He growled. "What a shame; I came here tonight with the hopes of speaking to a sane person, who understand how completely pointless this war is. But now I understand that it wasn't just Laijla who was insane. Your whole kind is!"

"How dare you!" Lakishma shrieked and took a step towards the dragon. Her eyes were burning with insanity and rage, whereas his were cold and controlled. "How dare you insult my people!? Your kind _isn't_ even a people. You are some kind of weak link, and undeserving of as much as walking the same earth as us. You should have been our cattle! That would have been your rightful place!"

Atemu suddenly stepped in between the dragon and the witch mistress.

"The dragon tribe has shown more than once that they deserve their place in the union," he warned Lakishma. "But can't you see that your racist options are killing innocent people from all tribes? Can't you-"

"And you…" Lakishma hissed and glared at Atemu. "Your weak, peace-loving people might as well die with the reptiles. If you side with them, you are not more human than them!"

"_Enough_!" Mordechai roared.

"_Yes_!" Lakishma shrieked. "It is enough! I am tired of having to show any kind of respect to a creature that stands lower than my dogs! I am tired of this endless talk about peace and no bloodshed! I am tired of the cowardice that you dare call _'honour'_! I will end it all right here, tonight!"

After that, all hell broke loose. Lakishma sent a lightning bolt at Mordechai, but the large dragon fended it of with a single swoop of his wing. The rest of the companies came rushing into the ring to protect their respective leaders. Lakishma began chanting some sort of spell, and dark magic gathered like a thick fog around her.

"Stop her!" Atemu yelled to one of his generals, a large man with silver hair and a scar on one cheek. "I don't know what she is planning, but we have to stop her before she strikes!"

The captain nodded, and both he and the king himself gathered shadow magic around them, protected by the other mages, who were busy fending of human and witch attacks.

_She_ came from out of nowhere: one of the Witch mistress's youngest bodyguards, with golden blond hair, and eyes as black as the queen's. She launched two powerful attacks, one from her left hand, and the other from her right one. The black beams seemed to pass through all the other mages, and hit the king and his general squarely in the chest.

With one last pained scream, not only them, but all of the mages, disappeared in a cloud of dark.

At the sight of his young friend and confidant disappearing in a cloud of black fire, Mordechai had had enough. He lost his control.

"Kill them," he ordered his fellow dragons, and in the next moment, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth at the Witches. Fire erupted from his throat and hit six of the witched in the face. They fell to the ground screaming in agony. Within the span of two minutes, they were dead.

With a mighty roar, the dragons threw themselves forward, ready to tear and kill their enemies.

Then suddenly something flashed outside of the stone circle, and in the next moment, every single dragon froze in the middle of their movements, unable to as much as blink.

Mordechai's sharp eyes darted around the circle in search for the cause of their disability to move. The stones of the circle had begun to glow dimly green, and on the ground beneath him, old runes were glowing.

_No!_

It had been a trap from the start! The witches must have visited the Copper tables a few hours before the meeting and set up a magical trap. They had never even thought about any peace offering. And now Atemu was dead, and he himself left at the hands of his worst enemy.

"I see you've finally figured it out," Lakishma cackled happily. The dark magic had made her feet leave the ground, and she was now floating in the air at about the same height as Mordechai's head. "You see? My kind will always be superior to yours!"

Mordechai's eyes darted to the human emperor and his fellowship, which was now standing outside of the ring, watching without making a move. Mordechai's heart sank as he realised that Quentin must have known about her plans all along.

"Relax; you will get to see your female and beloved cubs again. I am not going to kill you," Lakishma assured him. "I want my victory over you to be complete. Once I _do_ slay you, monster, you will have nothing left. You will beg me for death, since it will be the only way for you to see your family again."

Even though Mordechai couldn't move his jaws, a growl rumbled deep in his chest, dark and threatening.

_If you touch my family…_

The rest of Lakishma's witch company, standing beneath her, was starting to grow impatient.

"Enough talk, mistress. Just do it!"

"Come on, my queen, we want to see them suffer!"

"Show them what powerless animals they truly are!"

"Avenge our fallen sisters!"

The insane queen looked down at her court and smiled almost lovingly. Then she looked up at Mordechai again with smug satisfaction.

"I agree with my servants," she said. "Besides, I can barely contain myself."

The black magic thickened even more around her as she levitated a few feet higher. She raised her hands and face towards the dark, starlight sky and spoke, in deep, commanding tones:

"I, Lakishma, daughter of Laijla, heiress of the witch throne, and mistress of black magic, am calling on the higher powers to aid me this night!"

Mordechai had desperately been trying to fight of the bonds holding him, but stiffened when he heard Lakishma's words.

_A… curse?_

Lakishma lowered her hands and looked at Mordechai again, with the same pleased smile as before.

"On this the first night of the eleventh month, in the 1111th year after the union, I, Lakishma, daughter of Laijla, place a curse upon you, dragon lord Mordechai, and you whole kind." When she saw the dawning fear in his eyes, her smile widened. "You told me your wife had just given birth to your second son. He will be the last cub ever born into the dragon clan. This is your curse, impossible to break until the day when one of my kind freely gives their blood for a dragon. So it has been said, so it will be done."

The magic around her completely exploded. Small shadowy figures danced in the air, along with the songs, laughter and whispers of ancient evil spirits. It seemed to fill the air, make it thicker, exploded in eyes, ears, mouths and noses of everyone present. It danced and floated through the night in complete chaos and perfect synch at the same time, threatened to swallow everything whole with one single try.

And then silence.

Lakishma silently floated down to the ground again, and was taken into the arms of her faithful servants. She raised her head once more and looked at Mordechai.

"It has been done," she stated lazily. "Goodbye, dragon. Next time I see you, it will be to separate your head from your body."

One of the witches whispered a silent spell, and with a soft wind, they all faded away and disappeared. Left were the dragons, unmoving in the middle of the circle, and the human company, which had turned and was silently walking away from the scene.

It took two more hours for the spell to fade away, and during those hours, Mordechai and the rest of his escort had to listen to the silent whispers, still lingering in the air.

_On the first nigh of the eleventh month…_

_Place a curse upon you…_

_Your whole kind…_

_Last child ever born into…_

_Freely gives their blood… _

_So it will be…_

_So it will be…_

_So it will be done…_

**Wow, how many of you out there have heard "Can't take it in" by Imogen Heap. It's the soundtrack to **_**The chronicles of Narnia. **_**I listened to it while I was writing this story, and DAMN did it inspire me! Awesome song! Listen to it!!! **

**For me it's really important to listen to music while writing. It can help you get over writer's blocks and everything. Seriously, it's a great source of inspiration! I wouldn't have finished any of my stories if I hadn't had some sort of inspiring music in the back ground!**

**Okay, enough with the commercials! Hope you liked it this far. I know it doesn't make much sense right now, but don't worry, it will, very soon, this was only a prologue, after all. Write a review and tell me what you think! Reviews make an author's earth spin!!! **

"**C****hapter one: A birthday to remember," coming up soon!**

**R&R!!!**


	2. A birtday to remeber

Chapter one: A birthday to remember

The sky looked like midnight blue silk sheets that had been spread to cover the world this night. On that bed, stars were twinkling like small diamonds and watching the earth underneath with amused interest. In the middle of the sky, the full moon was shining like a beautiful queen with her maids— the stars-- standing around. One could easily imagine a scene were the pretty young maids were whispering and giggling and blushing along with each other while the queen was silent, standing with her back straight; dignity and beauty shining from her every fibre. The moonlight was so strong that the darkness that should rule at night had been chased away, and been replaced with a pale blue light that was almost as strong as the sun's light. There was no need for torches this night, but the castle in Domino City was, none the less, lit with numerous torches, and inside the huge glass windows, people dressed in colourful gowns were dancing.

On the large balcony outside the castle, the music was barely noticeable. Instead, the silence was filled with the crickets' songs, and once in a while, the rustling of leaves as a breeze ruffled the bushes in the massive castle garden. A dog could be heard barking somewhere in town, as was the cry from a drunken man stumbling down the streets from the bar to his home. Otherwise, it was completely silent.

The young man that was leaning against the rail of the balcony seemed to love the silence. He was gazing up at the stars with a small smile playing on his beautiful face. His expressive, chocolate brown eyes reflected the moonlight and once in a while, the wind ruffled his thick blonde hair a little. His clothes, made purely out of golden and black silk, made him look even more handsome, but the two short swords he had strapped in the shape of an X over the lower part of his back made it clear that he was able to take care of himself.

"Joey? Joseph? Oi, prince charming, wake up!"

The young man jumped and spun around to face the one whom had so unceremoniously pulled him from his deep thoughts, and he glared down at the one responsible. His younger sister, a pretty young girl with ginger hair, whom listened to the name Serenity, grinned at him, and for a moment, Joey marvelled at how beautiful she was in her emerald green dressing gown, and with the golden band around her forehead. But the thought lasted only for a second, and then he was, once again, her older brother.

"You wanted something, squirt?" he asked and folded his arms over his chest. "I really don't have time to play with your dolls or whatever right now."

"Oh yeah, because daydreaming is really such a demanding task." She stuck her tongue out at him, and walked closer to join him at the rail of the castle balcony. From inside they could still hear the soft music and the distant voices of all the guests whom had come to celebrate the prince's eighteenth birthday, but for now, they ignored it. "I don't even play with dolls anymore," she added, and Joey chuckled.

"I know, sis. I'm just messing with you." He glanced at her. "It's quite obvious that you don't. You look really good tonight. The boys must be drooling all over you. You look just like mom." He reached out and tugged lightly at one of her locks, but she sternly slapped his hand away.

"I'm not the one people should be drooling over, Joey. I'm not the one who's destined to find a consort tonight."

At these words, Joey grimaced lightly.

"Serenity-"

"Father met mother on his eighteenth birthday, you know that. Grandfather met grandmother on the very same night. And everyone in the family before that too. It is tradition, Joey, and a guarantee for a happy life together."

"I know that," Joey snapped, more than a little bothered by the fact that he was being scolded by his younger sister. "Gods, Sere, of course I know that, but I can't just pick some random girl to marry. You know it's got to be the right one. It's not my fault if my intended decided not to show up!"

He looked up at the stars with a frown on his fair face, and sighed. He hadn't even wanted this stupid ball. He loved feast, loved standing in the centre of attention with everyone's eyes on him, but not like this! Not when every girl inside the castle was watching him with hunger and longing, and all the older guests were whispering among themselves. Who was he going to choose? Which girl would be the lucky future consort of crown-prince Joseph? He hated that! He didn't even _like_ girls, but it wasn't like he could come out and say something like that!

If it had been his decision, he would have much rather spent the night in his room with the new, golden-wrapped book about dragons that his mother had given him as a birthday present this morning.

He had always been fascinated with dragons: it was his number one interest, along with martial arts. His and Serenity's mother, queen Adhara, was a beautiful and intelligent woman, and she had been telling them stories about the old war since they were children. Jou had been most interested in the tales of the powerful dragon clan, which had slowly disappeared after a cruse that the witch mistress Lakishma had put upon them. After the curse, the dragons could no longer give birth; the few that did get pregnant died during labour, and the cub was stillborn. Slowly, since many dragons died during the war, and no new ones were born, the dragon clan started to perish. The last ones: lord Mordechai and his beloved wife Alyssa, had been executed at the market place in Saridina, the witch maters' capitol.

It was a sad story, and Joey had often wished, both in his childhood and in present time, that he had gotten the chance to see a real dragon. His mother had shown him old paintings of dragons, and he could see that they were beautiful, powerful and wise creatures. He couldn't for the life of him understand why anyone would wish to exterminate them, and he thanked the gods that the Witch Masters had perished as well.

After the terrible war, the human emperor, Quentin, had been exiled, and his younger brother, prince Xilian, Joey's great-great-great-grandfather, had taken the throne. He had broken the alliance between the humans and Witch Masters, and not long after that, a civil war wiped out almost the whole Witch clan. The few Witch Maters that survived had been taken care of by Xilian's soldiers. Now, four hundred years later, the human clan was the only still existing member of the union.

"Joey? Are you even listening to me?"

Serenity's agitated voice penetrated the haze Joey's thoughts had been in, and he blinked at her. Shit, how long had he been zooming off? From the look on his sister's face, it must have been for a while. He grinned sheepishly at her.

"Sorry, sis. I wasn't."

She gave an irritated sigh and glared at him.

"And you're supposed to be this country's future king? You can't even listen to your own sister. I was asking for how long we were going to stand out here. This _is _your birthday party after all. You could at least _pretend _to enjoy it. I've worked so hard with all this."

Joey felt a sting of guilt and self-loathing in his heart for his earlier thoughts. He was a really selfish person: his baby sister arranged a huge party for him, and he repaid her by trying to get away from it? He was an asshole.

He smiled lovingly at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You're right, sis. I've been a jerk! Let's go inside. It really _is _a beautiful party; it's just… all the formalities… I get so uncomfortable sometimes."

Serenity smiled back up at him as they turned around to walk back in.

"I know, Joey. You're not the kind of person who can act all stiff and pleasant all the time. You're way too much like father."

Joey held the glass-door open for her and bowed deeply.

"Well, I have _some _manners," he said and smiled wolfishly. Serenity laughed, shook her head at his behaviour, and walked inside. Jou followed closely behind.

The throne hall of the castle was huge, with shining floors, white stone walls and a beautiful roof with old, detailed paintings on it. On the walls hung tapestries with the royal family's weapon on them; a prancing unicorn inside the Emperors Diamond. Thick wax candles were burning in the giant chandeliers that hung from the roof. The windows were huge and one could easily make out the full moon on the dark sky outside. Everywhere stood hundreds of people mingling, or dancing to the pleasant music, dressed in beautiful dressing gowns. Serenity had made a good job, for sure; everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Joey had barely closed the balcony door before a high-pitched female voice reminded him exactly _why _he had been hiding out on the balcony.

"Joseph, _there _you are!"

A woman made her way towards them in the crowd. She was very pretty, dressed in a formfitting sky-blue dress that clung to her generous bosom and thin waist, and matched her large blue eyes perfectly. The thick brown hair was held back from her face with a tiara of pure crystal, and her full lips were smiling almost seductively at Joey. The young girls glared enviously at her. The young men glared enviously at Joey.

"I've been looking for you, handsome," she cooed as she reached them, and immediately latched on to his arm. She ignored Serenity completely. "You disappeared so quickly after our last dance; it almost makes me think that you were trying to get away from me."

_That's exactly what I was trying to do, you dumb broad_, Joey thought and had to breathe through his mouth so that the smell of her perfume wouldn't make him hurl. He cleared his throat.

"I had to get some air, Lady Téa. I was getting a little claustrophobic in here." _In your company. _

Téa threw her head back and laughed delightedly. Joey couldn't see what was so funny.

"On your own birthday-party, your highness?" She teased him coyly. "We could go somewhere more private, if you like?"

"And where, Lady Téa, would that be?" Joey asked her, and tried to suppress a wave of nausea.

She laughed once more. Joey found the sound very annoying.

"Oh, I don't know," she said and stood up on the tip of her toes to whisper in his ear. "It's your birthday, your majesty. Why don't _you_ decide?"

Joey wondered if a prince could be punished for murder.

Serenity watched the exchange with an irritated frown. How could someone be dumb enough not to see when a person was so obviously not interested in them? Sure, Joey was answering her politely, but his words were flat and almost bored. When he used that tone, most girls got the hint and left him alone. During the years that Lady Téa had been part of the court, she had never seemed to be able so get that message thought. That's probably why Joey seemed to hate her so much.

When Téa closed the space between them to whisper in his ear, Serenity decided to make an effort to save her beloved brother from the hag. After all; they couldn't have their own prince charged for murder.

Just as she took a step closer to them, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder, and as she looked up, her eyes met a pair of dark ones. The face attached to the eyes smirked confidently at her, and Serenity suddenly got the urge to throw herself of a cliff.

"Lord Keith," her voice sounded strained as she said the name. "Can I help you?"

"You look a little jealous of our siblings, my little princess," he stated lazily and pulled a hand thought his blonde hair. "What? You want someone you can be cosy with too? I'm volunteering."

"No, I just have to ask Joey about—"

"Can't it wait?" he asked and pulled her to him. "Your brother seems to be a tad bit busy right now anyway."

"No I'm not," Joey growled and took a step back from Téa. "And let go of my sister."

Téa turned around too, and when she saw Serenity and Keith standing so close, she laughed again.

"Keith!" She scolded him playfully. "Princess Serenity is too young for you! She is not going to be one of your conquests."

"Oh, but my dear sister," Keith said with a smirk that made his face look ugly. Or well… ugl_ier_ "It would be the best experience of her life."

"I highly doubt that," Serenity snapped and tore herself from his grip to stand close behind Joey. Her brother was glaring furiously at Keith, and his fingers twitched towards the swords he had strapped on his back.

"I must ask you to stay away from my sister," Joey told him. "Otherwise, my future crowning will be your funeral."

"Oh, come on, little prince," Keith said and laughed loudly. It was a stark contrast to his sister's coy giggling. "I'm only joking with you! Well, not about the experience-thing, I mean, look at me," he made a nonchalant gesture at himself, "But it's all in good spirit, you know."

Téa giggled as well and took a step closer to brush her hands over Joey's chest. She smiled at him, but Joey could see a strange light in her eyes. It looked like a strange mix of hunger, greed, irritation and anticipation.

"Don't listen to my big brute of a brother," she told him and waved dismissively in Keith's direction. "He doesn't mean anything with it. You should try to loosen up a little, your highness. After all…" she made a pause and almost smirked at him. "We're all family."

Something seemed to snap inside of Jou, but just as he opened his mouth to give her a sharp reply, a soft female voice made all four of them turn around.

"Ah, Joseph, Serenity! I've been looking for you."

The widowed queen Adhara, Joey's and Serenity's mother, was making her way towards them, and as she walked across the dance floor, people moved out of the way, and a few even bowed deeply.

Adhara was considered one of the most beautiful women alive, and rightfully so. Her long ginger hair fell down her shoulders like a waterfall, effectively framing her beautiful face with high cheekbones, full lips, smooth skin and twinkling brown-green eyes that seemed to hold just the smallest hint of sorrow in them. The golden band she wore around her forehead and the incredible deep red dress only made her shine even more. Even Téa and Keith took a step back in respect as she stopped in front of them.

"Serenity," Adhara said softly. "What a wonderful feast you have arranged. You have talent, my child." She turned to look at both of them. "I have something important I must discuss with the two of you. Why don't you come along with me? Lord Keith… Lady Téa."

With a curt nod at the siblings, she grabbed her own children and dragged them away before Keith and Téa even had time to react. They were left blinking as the queen disappeared with their preys in the crowd of people. Keith swore silently, and Téa's face took on a furious expression that not even a mother could call beautiful.

"Great save, mom!" Joey burst out as soon as they were out of Téa's and Keith's hearing range. "Man, you can time anything perfectly. I was just about to rip their heads off."

"When you've been married to a man like you father, you learn to read a situation right," Adhara smiled at him. Then she scowled in Téa's and Keith's direction. "Those two have some nerve, trying something like that. They are the last descendants of Quentin, King Xilian's brother, and they never let us forget that we share a blood bond. You grandfather was making a big mistake when he let those two back into the court. Quentin's descendants have been shunned for hundreds of years because of their cowardice in the old war. Why change a perfectly good tradition?"

"Mother, you know that he was hoping that-"

"-Time would have made the bad genes go away. Yes, yes, I know." Adhara sighed. "But for once in his life, your grandfather was wrong."

"It's a mistake he still regrets," said a hoarse voice from behind them. King Rabastan, Joey's and Serenity's grandfather, walked up beside them, and his smile made the wrinkles in his old face show even more. "Old Xilian must be turning in his grave. He worked so hard to get his brother _out _of the court."

"You are far too nice sometimes, father," said Adhara. He regarded her with a playful look.

"There is no such thing as too nice, my dear daughter-in-law. 'More agreeable than others' is a better term."

"You can continue that fascinating discussion by yourselves," Joey said and patted his grandfather on the shoulder. "I'll go find Tris' and Duke. And stay out of terror-Téa's way." He made a face and turned around to go look for his childhood friends.

"Don't go too far," Serenity warned him. "It's time to open your presents soon!"

Joey waved at her to show that he had heard, and while he silently cursed the fact the he had been scolded by his baby sister _once again_, he started to look for the two other boys.

Joey, Tristan and Duke had grown up together. Duke had been the son of one of the richest lords in the whole country, and Tristan was the bastard son of the castle's kitchen mistress. As such, all three boys had spent a lot of time in the royal castle, where they had played together. Later in life, they had had the same martial arts instructor, and had always been competing to see who the better fighter was. In their late childhood and early teens, Duke and Tristan had also been competing about Serenity's heart, with Joey in the middle. (He was just trying to keep both of them away from his sister!) Nowadays, he had no such problems, thought. Tristan and Duke had fallen in love with each other (according to Joey that was an agreeable solution) and had both told Joey about it.

Problem was they hadn't told each other.

A few years prior, Duke's parents had passed away, and all their riches had been passed on to him. Because of this, he spent a lot less time at the castle, and more in the family mansion, leaving Tristan and Joey to fend for themselves. But he had not hesitated to show up at his childhood friend's birthday party.

They were standing next to the food table when Joey found them. Tristan was loading his fourth portion of chicken and mashed potatoes onto his plate, and Duke was standing next to him, looking a tad bit disgusted.

"I don't get how you can eat all of that!" He exclaimed. "You should be as big as a horse by now! Where do you _keep _it all?"

"Hey, just because I have a healthy appetite doesn't mean I have to get fat," Tristan protested. "I work out regularly. I don't just sit on my ass all day and sign paper, or whatever the hell it is that you do in that old place your parents left you. Although you have nothing to worry about, Mr I'm-as-thin-as-a-stick-but-think-I-look-like-a-hippo."

"Do the two of you ever do anything but argue?" Joey asked as he stopped beside them. Tristan grinned happily at him.

"Hey, man! Where have you been? You left me here with Mr Prissy ages ago. Great party! Serenity's going to make a great wife one day!"

Duke, whom had blushed and looked away embarrassedly at Tristan's last comment about his weight, seemed to snap out of it. Now, he glared at the brunette with his sharp green eyes.

"Great wife for whom? You?"

"You never know, man!" Tristan winked at Joey playfully. In the two years they had spent without Duke, they had developed a kind of insider joke when it came to Tristan's teenage crush on Serenity. "Maybe I'll get lucky. Love is blind, after all."

"She would have to be blind, deaf and dumb to even consider you," Duke snapped. "I thought you were over her a long time ago. How immature."

And then he turned around and left. Tristan looked after him with a disappointed frown on his face.

"Whatever I say, I piss him off," he sighed and put the plate down on the table. "Everything's so different now. We never fought this much when we were kids. Sure we fought, but we could always laugh at it afterwards. Now… I don't know."

Joey patted him on the shoulder and plopped down beside his friend. Part of him wanted to give Tristan the worst beating of his life and scream at him that he was such a dumbass, and couldn't he see that Duke was jealous? Couldn't he see how ridiculous the whole situation was…? But he had sworn not to tell, and he didn't want to meddle in something that he really didn't have anything to do with. It really was up to Tristan and Duke themselves. It was never good to snoop in other people's love lives.

"I'm sure it'll pass," he assured his friend instead. "You guys have been friends for a long time; you just need some time to get use to each other again."

"Maybe your right," Tristan sighed and picked in his food. Then he looked up with a smile. "You probably are right, man. By the way; have you eaten anything tonight?"

_GRRRROOOOOWLLLLL_! Said Joey's stomach at that exact moment. They both looked at it, then at each other, and promptly fell over in hysterical laughter.

"Guess I've been so busy with all the guests and terror-Téa that I completely forgot to eat," Joey said and wiped away a tear at the corner of his eye. "Gods, I'm starving!"

"Then grab a plate and join me, brother!" Tristan said happily and put a clean plate down in front of him.

"Yeah, I think I wi- hey! Serenity! What the hell?!"

"Don't swear," Serenity scolded and put the plate that she had stolen from under Joey's nose back on the table. "You don't have time for food right now. Time's ten minutes to twelve. You know what that means, don't you?"

"Serenity," Joey moaned and looked at his sister with pleading eyes. "I haven't eaten anything since lunch! My birthday presents can wait! My stomach can't!"

"And if I let you eat now, no one will be able to pull you from your plate! Come on, you can eat afterwards!"

She grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the middle of the room, where their mother had already began telling the guests that it was time for the prince's present opening. Joey gave the table and food one last mournful look, and glared at Tristan as his friend laughed and did the thumps up at him, then followed her.

Over the years, the opening of presents during feasts in the royal court had been turned into something very much like a contest. Every time a royal child was having a birthday party, the guests went through fire and ice to find the most expensive, exotic or appreciated gift, and the prize for winning this contest was the royal family's eternal gratefulness. It was a form of boot licking that everyone seemed to be in on, and over the decades everything from a real unicorn horn to a living pack of wolves had been given. On her latest birthday party, Serenity had gotten a chest full of jewels, three white stallions, a castle by the sea and a library. Rumour had it that King Rabastan had gotten his own harem on his eighteenth birthday. He firmly denied it every time Joey asked him about it.

Prince Joseph's interest in everything that concerned dragons was a well known fact in the court as well as the rest of the country, and this showed on the gifts he received. From the duke of Crawford, Joey got a beautiful golden framed painting of a dragon in natural size. From Lord Dartz, he received a three metres tall dragon statue in pure ruby. Lady Vivian Wong gave him a box full of enchanted fireflies that would take the shape of a real dragon and dance around in the hall whenever they were set free.

The stack of dragon gifts grew huge over the night, but Joey was in seventh heaven. He thanked them for the gifts several times, and couldn't seem to keep his hand off of any of them, like a child on Christmas Eve. As the night went on and more and more gifts were revealed, it got more and more difficult to say who would win the contest this year.

That is, until Lady Téa and Lord Keith presented their gift.

"Well, I must compliment all of you on the beautiful presents," Téa said loudly as it was their turn to unveil their gift. "But I'm afraid that none of you can compete with our gift."

"Is that so?" Lady Vivian said coldly. "I beg you pardon, Lady Téa, but I think that you should get off your high horse."

"You should wait and see, Lady Vivian," Téa told her sweetly as Keith led a group of large bulky men into the room. They were pulling a small carriage behind them, and on it stood a big, square object hidden under a dark sheet. A curious whisper went through the room as people saw it. What had the siblings gotten that was so wondrous? Téa turned towards Joey and curtsied at both him and his family.

"My dear prince Joseph," she said pleasantly. "I sincerely hope that you will appreciate the gift that my brother and I are offering you. We have worked so hard to get it to you. I think you will be very pleased with it."

And then Keith grabbed the sheet and pulled it off. A violent gasp went through the hall as people realised what it was, and then the murmurs began.

The small, dark grey dragon inside the iron cage cowered and stared at the people outside its prison with huge, terrified eyes. It whimpered almost soundlessly, and pressed itself to the bars on one side of the cage. Immediately, one of the guards which had brought it in poked it with a wooden cane. The drakling jumped into the middle of the cage and tried to make itself as small as possible.

"Yes!" Téa called, and the drakling jumped again. "A real, living dragon! Most people believed them to only be a fairytale, and the rest that they perished hundreds of year ago, but me and my brother have looked long and hard, and found a real, living one." She turned around toward Joey, who was starring at the fairytale creature in stunned wonder. "Use it as your pet, as a weapon, or kill it, my prince. No one but you can control this animal's destiny. It is yours to do with as you wish. This is our gift."

The room was so silent that you would be able to hear a needle fall for a moment, and then someone slowly raised their hands and started to clap. Soon others did the same, until at last; every person in the room was applauding the Lord and Lady violently. Keith and Téa smiled triumphantly and bowed deeply. They had won the contest. The drakling in the cage panicked at the loud clapping, and cried out pathetically as it threw itself from side to side in an attempt to get out. The guards poked it several times, until it stopped screaming, and simply whimpered sadly.

"Joey," Serenity whispered anxiously and touched her brother's arm softly. "You have to _do_ something."

And it was then that Joey seemed to snap out of his shock.

"_ENOUGH!!_" He roared. The applause immediately stopped. He took three long strides towards the cage, but stopped abruptly as Téa and Keith stepped into his way.

"You can thank me… I mean _us_, later, your highness," Téa purred at him, completely obvious to the way his eyes were burning. "Should I order the guards to take the creature to the stables?"

"The only thing you should do is get the fuck out of here!" Joey barked at her and pushed himself between them. Téa's face fell completely, and she spun around to stare at him.

"My prince, I don't understand!"

"You think this is what I wanted?" Joey asked her furiously. "You think I wanted a dragon in a cage to play with whenever I felt like it? If that's what you think, then you have no idea what true interest means!"

"But your highness, I thought you-"

"Dragons are intelligent, powerful and beautiful creatures!" Joey snapped at her. "_Not _beasts that should be kept in a cage or chained down! They need to be free to live!" he turned to look at the little dragon, and his eyes filled with sorrow.

"It's only a child!" He stated softly and bent down next to the opening. The drakling pressed itself close to the back of the cage and trembled violently. "This is so barbaric!"

"Your majesty," Téa tried again. "I don't think that-"

"You have five minutes," Joey said and turned around to glare at her with pure hatred in his eyes, "to get out of here. Then I'll have both of you arrested."

Then, in one fluent motion, he pulled one of the swords for its sheath on his back and cut the ropes that held the door to the cage closed. The drakling still stared at him with terrified eyes as he let the door slide open.

"It's okay," Joey told it softly and took a few steps back. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'll help you get home again. I'm so sorry for all of this, little dragon. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I'm going to help you."

The dragon seemed to understand what he was saying, because it blinked, and after a few moments, took a few steps towards the open door. The whole room was silent, people were staring at the scene with fascination, and Téa and Keith seemed to be far too shocked to move a single muscle. After another few minutes, the dragon finally stepped out of the cage and onto the dance floor. Its black claws clinked against the floor as it went, and the tail waged slowly from one side to the other in a watchful way. At last, it stood eye to eye with Joey.

"You are so beautiful," Joey breathed, and felt a knot form in his chest.

It was true. It was a little taller than Joey, and had a slender body covered in dark-grey scales that had not hardened to a grown dragon's natural armour yet. The black claws were still very small, its wingspan couldn't be more than five or six metres and it almost seemed to still have some baby fat left. Its face was far more expressive than Joey had ever realised. Just like with a human child, you could see what age and sex it was from taking a look at the face. Jou could see that this was a young male, and right now, it was watching him with a mixed expression of fear and curiousness.

Slowly, he reached out a hand towards it. The dragon blinked at him with its large, stormy grey eyes, and then took a step closer to sniff it. Joey smiled and could feel the tears filling his eyes. He had wanted to see a real dragon for so long. He only wished that his father was here right now, to share it with him.

Suddenly the drakling's eyes left his face, and it started to look around urgently instead, as if it was looking for something.

And then Joey heard it. A strange sound, like a low rumbling and a strong wind's howling. It sounded almost like a huge bird was flapping its wings…

And then the wall to Joey's left collapsed, and a mighty roar filled the air.

He spun around, only to be met with the most incredible sight of his life.

A huge dragon had torn the stone wall down with its own body. It must have been at least eight metres tall, and had a wingspan of at least twelve metres. It was completely covered in snow-white scales, and the sharp blue eyes that flew across the room burned with rage.

Naturally, people panicked. Within the span of two seconds, the birthday party had turned into a complete chaos. Guests screamed and ran as fast as they could towards the castle exits, not caring who they stepped on, or if they dirtied their expensive clothes. Guards were trying to make their way through the crowd towards the giant dragon, but it was very hard since they were fighting the stream. Téa and Keith were making their way to an exit by pushing and beating up anyone in their way. Serenity was grabbed by her grandfather and pushed behind the throne for protection as the old man ran to find the rest of his family. Tristan and Duke were desperately trying to make their way towards Joey.

And Joey himself stood completely frozen on the spot and stared as the huge creature as it swooped out with its claws to make an even bigger mess of things. He couldn't move; paralyzed in fear and wonder.

The smaller dragon gave a happy cry, and immediately, the larger one's head snapped around to look at it. The two dragons almost seemed to share a smile for a moment, and then the white one spotted Joey.

Who was standing beside the little one, still with a sword in one hand.

The guard had finally managed to make their way through the crowd, and was making their bows and arrows ready. Adhara was among them, and now she caught site of Joey, standing in front of the mighty dragon.

"Protect the prince!" She called to the archers. "Aim for the big one, leave the little one!"

They all nodded and made their bows ready.

The first wave of arrows was swooped aside with a mighty paw, and the dragon roared once more. It took another step into the hall, and lifted the little one onto its back, where the drakling made itself comfortable between the large wings.

Another wave of arrows was fired, but they bounced of the dragon's scales like pebbled on a glass window. It growled threateningly and turned back towards Joey. The prince was still completely frozen in shock, but not even he could _not _notice as the dragon grabbed him with one of its huge paws and lifted him of the ground. He yelped and dropped the sword.

"Hey!" he cried. "Let go of me!"

The dragon brought him up until they were at the same eyelevel, and growled threateningly. Joey was half panicked, half hypnotized by the sharp blue eyes. On the ground, the archers were reloading for a third wave, but Adhara's panicked voice stopped them.

"Don't shoot! You might hit Joey!"

Serenity heard the cry from her place behind the throne and ran out to see what was happening. All the guests had finally made it out, and all that was left was the guards, Adhara, Serenity, Rabastan and Duke and Tristan. Serenity gasped as she caught sight of her brother in the beasts clutches and ran towards them to do… _something_! Tristan caught her and held her back.

"Lay the bows aside and grab your swords!" Rabastan ordered his guards. "We'll have to attack it directly! Charge!"

But it was too late. The dragon turned around in the opening it had created and knocked them all over with its giant tail, and then it spread its wings and left ground with a mighty swoop. Within the span of a few moments, it was out of the arrows' reach, and high in the night sky, still with a firm grip on Joey. Adhara cried out in agony, Rabastan ordered a group of guards to make their hoses ready, and Serenity tried to get out of Tristan's grip while tears ran down her cheeks.

"Let me go!" She cried. "Let me go, Tristan! I have to help him!"

"There is nothing you can do, Sere," Tristan told her firmly. "He's already gone."

"NO!" she screamed and pressed her face to his chest. "_No…_"

Tristan grip loosened a little, and he had to blink back tears of his own as he looked up. Adhara had fallen to her knees on the floor with an agonised look on her face, Rabastan and his guards were leaving the room to chase the dragon by horse, and through the hole it had made in the wall, Tristan could see the dragon like a small white spot at the horizon.

**DUN DUN DUUUN!! What's gonna happen to Joey? If you wanna find you, you'll have to review! Honestly, I update a lot faster if you do! **

**TEN PAGES! TEN FRIGGIN' PAGES! IN TWO HOURS! MY ARMS! MY HANDS! MY FINGERS! AAAAHHHH!! DIES **

**Comes back to life Wow, that was **_**some**_** response I got for the prologue! You people actually seemed to like this! I hope I won't disappoint you! This is like, my baby right now! **

**As for the evil villains… I LIKE TÉA!! I REALLY DO! BUT I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HER AND MAI AS THE FEMALE VILLAIN, AND I LIKE MAI MORE! I'M SORRY IF THERE'S ANY TÉA FANS OUT THERE THAT THINKS I'M BASHING HER! **

**Oh, and the Keith thing; yes, it's THE Bandit Keith we're dealing with. Why I chose him? Well, he doesn't really get that much attention, even thought he's a villain too. And Joey really seems to hate him. I was thinking about casting Pegasus or Dartz as the male villain, but come on; can any of you out there say "CLICHÉ"? Besides; they're way to smart to play this part. Plus, I needed a real man whore, so there you go!**

**Ok, I'm done rambling. I'll go and put some ice on my poor hands now. **

**R&R!! **


	3. The hollow mountain

Chapter two: The hollow mountain

King Rabastan and his team of soldiers returned by dawn, looking tired and worn, with the news that they had lost track of the dragon. By that time, the rumours were already starting to spread in the town: the future king was gone! How he had disappeared no one seemed to be completely sure of, but some said that he had cracked under the pressure of being the future ruler, and that he had run away with some maid. Others stubbornly meant that he had been kidnapped by a band of professional bandits, and that they were demanding ransom for him. Ironically, the truth; that he had been taken by a dragon during his own birthday party, was waved aside with a laugh.

But as posters started to come up the very same morning, the rumours escalated into a completely new level.

_Crown prince Joseph has been kidnapped!_ The headings of the posters read. _The royal court is recruiting volunteers to help in the search. Only people that are off age will be accepted. If interested, contact the royal captain for more information. _

More information about the prince followed, but Joey was well known and most people didn't need to read it. And once the suspicion that he was gone had been confirmed, more that just rumours grew. The list of volunteers did as well. Thus, as the sun started to set, a big mass of people stood gathered on the castle yard, dressed in travelling clothes and with horses that each and everyone had borrowed from the royal stables. There was a strange murmur of anticipation in the air: all volunteers had been informed of how the prince had been kidnapped and _what_ had done the deed. Most had thought it all to be a joke, until the queen herself showed up and confirmed the information. Now, people seemed to be half excited, half terrified by the prospect of seeing a real dragon.

"Can I please have everyone's attention?!" Shouted a guard standing in the middle of the crowd on a stool. He held a long list in one hand. "You will all be paired into groups with five or six guards in each group, and go of into different directions: north, south, east and west. The guards will be in charge of the team, and we ask all of you to respect their decisions. One of them will occasionally report back to the castle, so you can turn to this person if you have a message or something. I have the list of groups right here, and remember; we're looking for the prince! Any questions?"

"What if we find the prince and he isn't alive?" Someone in the middle of the crowd shouted.

People turned around to see whom had called, but when they couldn't find the one responsible, some began to murmur among themselves, and others turned back towards the guard, to see what he would answer. The man cleared his throat uneasily, trying to think of an answer, but before he had time to, it came from another direction.

"We do assume that Joseph is still alive," said Serenity as she came walking down the stairs from the castle entrance. "He is strong, and can surely take care of himself. But if the worst thing possible _has _happened… there is nothing you can do but come back home. The royal family appreciates your support, but most important is that you stay safe. Do not try to do something foolish or impulsive. Stay safe. And good luck!"

Most people nodded in understanding, some smiled encouragingly at the young princess, and a few even applauded. Serenity simply offered them all a gentle but tired smile, and turned to walk off to the royal gardens. The guard sighed in relief and raised the list to start announcing the groups.

But one man, dressed in light brown travelling clothes, silently left the mob, and made his way towards the royal stables with long strides. He raked a hand through blonde hair and smiled smugly. He had a sack in one hand, and from the shape of it, one could almost think that it held a sword within.

He entered the stables with the same long strides and walked right through it until he reached the end. A young lady was waiting for him, sitting on a small pedestal and picking hay straws from her elegant travelling clothes. She looked up with a glare as the man reached her.

"Took you long enough!" Téa snapped angrily and stood up. "Was it really that hard to find and hire some thugs? Do you have any idea how much time we have wasted? The volunteers are leaving soon!"

"Relax," Keith answered with a sneer of his own. "I got the job done. Forty of Domino's worst thugs will be waiting for us at the forest road in three days. Gives us more than enough time to go to Saridina, doesn't it?"

Téa scoffed and marched up to him. She was shorter than him, but he still seemed to respect her as she glared angrily at him.

"And what about the sword?" She snapped. "Do you have it?"

"It wasn't easy, but I managed to steal if from the queen while she was talking to some of the constructors that are going to fix the ball room wall." He raised the sack he had in his hand, and pulled out a beautiful sword. It was pretty short, with a thin, shining blade, and a handle wrapped in black leather. At the end of the handle, a red ruby was tinkling.

"Good," Téa snapped and tore the sword from him. "You're not completely useless." And then she turned around and walked over to two horses which were bound to a ring in the wall. She wrapped the sword in a thick sheet and put it in a saddlebag on one horse. Then she untied the animal. Keith walked over and did the same to the other one.

"May I ask," Keith said as they lead the horses through the stable towards the exit. "_Why_ it was so important to steal the sword Prince Joey left behind?"

Téa rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, as if to really _show_ how stupid she thought Keith was.

"You'll see once we get to Saridina. I don't have the energy to explain everything into the smallest detail for you right now."

Keith glared at her and looked like he was going to answer, but suddenly someone appeared in the door and they both stopped dead.

"Lady Téa, Lord Keith," Said Queen Adhara and studied them with a sharp look. "Are you leaving?"

The siblings froze in place for a moment, both thinking of the stolen sword in Téa's saddlebag, but then Téa smiled at the queen with the same ingratiating smile she had wore while talking to Joey the night before. There was no sign of the sneering bitch she had been mere seconds earlier.

"Oh, yes, my queen," she said humbly. "Since the volunteers are leaving, we figured it was time for us to get on with the searching as well. For us, finding Prince Joseph is top priority. After all," she tried to look ashamed, but it looked faked on her face. "None of this would have happened if we hadn't tried to give him that dragon."

_Of course it wouldn't have!_ A voice inside Adhara screamed, and her insides contracted in agony at the thought of her oldest child in the clutches of a dragon. Oh, how she hoped he was unharmed!

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Lady Téa, it was a mistake," she said, but her voice didn't hold an ounce of pity in it. "But I would rather not see the two of you leaving to search for him. With all due respect, my Lord and Lady, but I think that you have done enough already."

"We haven't done nearly enough!" Téa exclaimed. "If anyone should be looking for Joseph, it's us! I appreciate your thoughtfulness, my queen, but this is something we know we have to do. As a matter of fact, we want to do nothing ells! So now, if you'll excuse us…" she pushed herself passed Adhara with an apologising smile, "we have to get going before the sun sets completely. Goodbye, your highness."

Keith followed his sister with a last respectful nod at the queen, and then the two of them hastily mounted their horses and rode of. Adhara was still standing in the stable door with a frown on her face. She watched the siblings until they had disappeared out of sight.

"I hate her!" Téa hissed venomously as they were out of the queen's sight and hearing range. "I have more royal blood in my thumb than that woman has in her whole body. She's just the daughter of some old healer living in the woods. Just because she happened to fall in love with and married the crown prince, she thinks she can tell us what to do! I can't wait until _I've _become queen, so I can crush that whole, dirtied family!"

"Not Serenity," Keith purred. "That feisty little princess belongs to me! I can't wait till we take over, so I can take her into my bed."

"You should try to think with your head instead of your penis," Téa told him. "But I guess it would do no harm for you to keep her as a pet. Maybe her brother would make a good pet as well…"

"Talking about interacting with the enemy!" Keith barked a laugh. "He may not even be alive, you know!"

"Well, that would surely be a pity," Téa said with a smirk. "But if this works, we won't have time for pets anyway. Our original plan was to try and seduce our way into the royal house, but this dragon has surely given us the chance to climb in status a lot faster. It will be a useful tool when we take over the kingdom."

"If we can find it, that is," Keith reminded her. Téa snorted confidently.

"Oh, we will," She assured him. "Once we've gotten what we need in Saridina, it will only be a matter of time until we find the dragon. And then, eventually, tame it." She looked up at the sky with a strange mix of a dreamy expression and a smirk on her face. "I've always wondered exactly how feisty those creatures are."

* * *

During his first hours of dangling in the air from a dragon's claw, Joey had been terrified. He had been kidnapped! _By a dragon_! What would happen to him? Would it realise it didn't need him anymore, and crush him like a bug just by squeezing a little tighter? Gods knew it had the strength to. Or would it eat him once they landed?

_No_, the dragon specialist inside him chimed: _dragons don't eat humans_.

At least… he hadn't read anything like that. Nightmare scenarios seemed to raise passed each other in his head, each one more terrible that the last.

During the two or three hours after that, as the panic had ceased, he was constantly on edge, completely focused on any movement from the creature holding him. He was, after all, dangling hundreds of metres above the ground, and his biggest fear was that it would suddenly just drop him. That would be an abrupt end to this little adventure.

But as the sun started to rise behind them after more than six hours in the air, Joey was starting to get bored. Call him crazy, but dangling from a dragon's claws for hours at end wasn't exactly happy hour. Besides, he was staring to get sore on the place around his waist where the claws were squeezing, and the winds were cold and made him shiver. On top of that, he was absolutely starving! He had forgotten all about his hunger when the dragon had burst through the wall and grabbed him, (one tends to forget things like that during near-death experiences) but now his nerves were settling down, and his hunger came back full force.

Damn dragon! Why did it have to fly so far? Didn't it get tired?!

But just as he was starting to think about possible ways to make the dragon land, -or crash- so he could sneak away, a huge mountain appeared at the horizon.

It was… well… _huge_. Huge, and black, and looked like a volcano, but there was no opening at the top. Joey looked down at the ground below. Forest. Thick, dark forest, as far as he could see. Exactly how far from Domino were they?! Even if he managed to escape from the dragon, would he be able to make it back? He knew he would have to walk towards east, since they had been flying with the sun on their backs, but for how long? Why hadn't he been paying attention?!

The dragon circled the mountain to reach the side that was facing west, and as it did, a huge opening became visible to Joey. It was formed like a half circle, and he could see several tunnels inside it that seemed to lead deeper into the cave. The floor looked smooth.

The dragon flew closer to the opening, and once the distance was only a few metres, it reached out and placed Joey firmly in the opening.

Furiously, the blonde turned around to glare at his captor, but had to scramble out of the way quickly, because the dragon landed with a loud _'thump' _on the place he had been standing only a second prior. It folded its large wings carefully, and stretched its body, as if to work out some kinks. The drakling had been sleeping peacefully on the older dragons back, but now it opened its eyes and yawned cutely, before taking a look around. Apparently, it recognised the place, because it gave a happy little squeak and slid of the other's back.

Claws clinked against the stone floor as it disappeared in one of the tunnels. The bigger dragon sighed and shot Joey a glance; -he was still sitting on the floor- before it followed the smaller one on a slower pace. When they had both disappeared, Joey stood up and dusted himself of.

Okay, he had done _some_ progress at least; his feet were standing on solid ground once more. Now he just had to find a way out of here, and then he could start his trip back to Domino again. Surely, his grandfather had sent soldiers to look for him. Maybe he would meet a group on his way back. That would make everything a lot easier. But that problem didn't come until later. Right now, he needed to get out of this place.

Easier said than done. Outside the opening, the mountain wall was smooth and went straight down, so climbing would be impossible. And it was _way _too high up to jump. Maybe if he could find some rope…

Joey took a good look around the cave for the first time since he had arrived. The roof had the shape of a dark dome, and the walls were made of black stone that gave the place a somewhat threatening mood to it. However, there were torches burning on the walls to light up the place, and the cave was nice and big; the dragon had had a lot of space to move around. And the view through the opening was incredible.

But there was no rope to be seen anywhere. Joey leaned against the wall to try and think of what he would do now. He had to find a way out before the dragon decided he was a waste of space and came back to finish him off. Question was how. Maybe if he could find a secret passageway or stairs or something… but what would an eight metre tall dragon with wings need stairs for! And he couldn't very well jump.

No, he would have to find something long and strong that he could use to climb down. And since there was no such thing close by, there was only one solution:

Joey took a deep breath and pushed himself of the wall. There were five tunnels that seemed to go of in different directions into the mountain. The two dragons had disappeared through the one farthest to the left. Joey thought for a moment and picked the one farthest to the right; the last thing he wanted was to run into them by mistake.

The tunnels were, much like the first cave, large and spacious. They had to be, if such a big dragon was going to live in them. The torches cast a sort of golden light over everything, and that, along with the black walls, gave the place an almost… cosy atmosphere. Everything seemed to be a lot _bigger _here than home in Domino; on the walls hung huge paintings of up to _ten_ dragons in natural size. More than once, Joey stopped to inspect the paintings, and had to snap himself out of it and go back to looking. As if that wasn't enough of a distraction for the young prince, there were a lot of thick oak doors in the corridors, that should have been heavy, but slid open easily as Joey touched them. They lead into even more interesting rooms, such as libraries, rooms with small heated lakes, and behind one door, he had found mountains of gold, silver, jewels, and other expensive gems, all of it guarded by old signs on the walls that Joey vaguely recognised as old Dragon script.

If it hadn't been for the whole kidnapping thing, this would have been his paradise.

But after hours of searching, he was growing tired, and his stomach ached painfully. He was done looking through every tunnel except the one the dragons had left through, and the closest thing to a rope had had been able to find was the soft, velvet curtains hanging here and there; Joey seriously doubted that they would be able to carry his weight.

If he wanted to get out of here, he couldn't leave any place unsearched. He simply had no other choice but to follow the dragons into the last tunnel. Still, he walked on the tips of his toes, and every time he was going to round a corner, he carefully poked his head around it first, to make sure that he wouldn't accidentally walk into his lizard-like hosts.

This corridor seemed to be a little different from the others. Dark purple curtains hung over the walls, and on those, there was a silver dragon printed. Joey had seen that sign and colour in old books in his father's library; it was the weapon of the royal dragon family. Also, there seemed to be fewer doors here. Only five or six of them actually. Joey sneaked up to the first one, pushed it lightly, and let it slide open.

Bingo!

But not in a good way! In the middle of the room, on a huge bed of dark purple cushions, slept the dragons. The bigger one had practically wrapped itself around the smaller, and the stark contrasts between white and dark grey only made the picture look more perfect. The smaller one was lying on its back with its head thrown back, snoring lightly. The older one slept peacefully, without making any noise. The dragon lover in Joey was astonished by the love and commitment the scene was proof of, but the sane part of him told him to get the hell out, if he knew what was good for him!

Joey had grabbed the door and was carefully closing it, but then he caught sight of the thick curtains hanging over a large, circle shaped window on the other side of the room. All the curtains he had seen this far looked far to thin to carry him, but these were thick and looked strong; designed to keep the sun out. Maybe they would do. And they were long too!

His eyes slid from the curtains to the dragons and back again for a few times, as he contemplated what to do. If he was really quiet… but he didn't even know if the dragons were heavy sleepers! But he needed to get out of here! But was it worth the risk?

At last he took a deep breath and slipped into the room. Slowly he tiptoed passed the sleeping creatures, all the while thanking the gods that stone floors didn't creak, and with one eye fixed on them. The drakling grunted and turned over on the other side, and as it did, it happened to smack its older companion in the eye. Hard!

Joey froze and stared terrified at them for a moment.

But the older seemed to be use to that kind of treatment from the drakling, because it didn't move a muscle. The drakling simply made itself comfortable again and continued to snore. Joey silently thanked every god out there and sneaked closer to the curtains.

Finally, he reached them! Carefully, to avoid sunbeams hitting the dragons and wake them up, he grabbed the fabric and tugged lightly.

It didn't come of. It was stuck.

_SHIT!_

Joey tugged a little harder, but still nothing happened. Well, this was just great! What the hell was he supposed to do now?! Find a chair to stand on so that he could reach the top? Wouldn't work; he'd need at least five chairs, and what the hell would a dragon need chairs for?!

"This is going to sound ridiculous, but I have to ask… Are you trying to steal my curtains?" Growled a dark voice behind Joey. He spun around, and came face to face with a pair of sapphire eyes.

The white dragon was still lying down with the smaller one sleeping beside it, but it was wide awake, and completely focused on Joey. And Joey was completely frozen in shock. Was it going to eat him? It hadn't sounded like it was going to eat him. Once again, did dragons even eat humans? And if it wasn't going to eat him, was it going to kill him?

"I'm not going to kill you," the dragon growled. It had a dark, sharp voice. Much like the eyes. "Your screaming would surely wake my brother, and he needs all the rest he can get after a night like that. Although you probably deserve to die."

_I'm not going to kill you_. For some reason, Joey believed the dragon completely, and relief seemed to wash over him like a tidal wave. All fear seemed to fall away, and finally, the dragon fantast in him could come out to play.

"You talk," was his first very intellectual statement.

The dragon actually _raised an eyebrow_! Joey hadn't thought it was possible for them to raise eyebrows, but it was incredible how expressive their big, reptile-like faces were.

"What did you think I was going to do? Yodel?"

"But then you _are_ a real dragon!

"Are all humans this stupid, or did I just happen to grab a bad example?"

Joey actually blushed a little, and grinned sheepishly at the dragon. He wasn't the least bit scared anymore. Just like the books had said, dragons were intellectual creatures. And that meant he could talk to it- eh, _him_- and make the dragon let him go.

"I'm sorry, it's just that…" Joey looked at him with a friendly smile that the dragon did not respond to. "I've wanted to meet a real dragon my whole life! And here you are!"

"I'm so happy I could make your dream come true." The sarcasm was ridiculously visible, but Joey ignored it. He needed to stay on this dragon's good side, if he ever wanted to get home.

"It's an honour to meet you, sir," he said humbly and bowed low. "I'm prince Joseph of Domino."

"Seto," the dragon answered and fixed him with an icy look. "Just Seto. And the honour is completely yours."

Joey once more ignored the side-remark, and straightened. He scratched the back of his head and looked into the blue eyes. The only word that came to mind as he looked into them was sharp. Focused, awake, as if Seto could look into the darkest part of your soul. He was half intrigued, half fascinated and half frightened by them.

"So, uh…" He began carefully. "If you're not going to kill me, what are you going to do?"

"I have not figured that part out just yet," Seto answered airily. "But don't worry; it will come to me in time."

"But if you don't know…" Joey suggested encouragingly. "Then maybe you can let me go!"

"Yeah!" The dragon agreed with a bright smile that looked very faked. "And turn myself over as I'm on it! A splendid idea!" The fake smile was replaced by a sarcastic smirk. "No, human, I won't let you go. Not ever, actually. I can't have you running around telling everyone of your kind where we are hiding. I'm not the last of my kind for nothing, you know."

For a moment, Joey blinked at him, then cold dread started to spread inside of him as he realised what that meant. If Seto wasn't going to kill him, and not let him go, that meant… _he was a prisoner here_! But that was a lot worse than being killed. Pictures of his family flashed through his mind; Tristan… Duke… his mother… grandfather… Serenity… and panic stated to swell inside him again.

"You're going to keep me here?! You can't! You have no right! _I won't let you_!"

"I don't like the situation any more than you, human," Seto made a face. "What would my ancestors say if they saw me take a _human _in? This is against everything that I believe in."

"If that's what you think, then why did you grab me in the first place?!" Anger had started to mix with the panic inside Joey. This was this stupid dragon's fault entirely! Or maybe Téa's and Keith's! Hell, why not blame god while he was on it!?

Seto shrugged at the question.

"They were shooting at me. I was afraid they would hit my brother, so I needed a shield."

"And you chose a human that's like, ten times smaller that you?!"

"It worked, didn't it?"

The panic had been completely replaced by anger now. And the fact that Seto was still lying calmly on the bed only made Joey angrier!

"You son of a… Argh! Forget it! Listen; I promise not to tell anyone about this place! Can't you just trust me?"

"I'm supposed to _trust _the human who was standing over my brother with a sword?" Seto hissed and narrowed his eyes.

"Huh?" Joey stared at him, confused for a moment. Then he remembered that he had still held his sword when the dragon crashed in. "Wait, you've gotten the completely wrong impression! I was trying to _help _him! I had just freed him from the cage and-"

"You put him in a _CAGE_?!" Seto growled furiously.

"_Not me_!" Joey shouted. This conversation was going in the completely wrong direction! "It was Téa and Keith-"

"From your people?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean… look, what I'm trying to say is that I didn't want that to happen to him! I was trying to help!

Seto's eyes narrowed even more, and Joey started to get nervous. And anger and nervousness is never a good combination.

"Next time, _don't_!" Seto snapped. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my younger brother!"

"Yeah, that's why he ended up in a cage, right?"

Before anyone could blink, Seto had left his spot on the bed and thrown himself at Joey. But he froze with his large head mere centimetres for the human. Their eyes met, both equally furious now. Joey didn't back of. He had always been known for his idiocy when he got angry, and he was furious now. He was not going to let himself be frightened by this asshole, even if named asshole could tear him into tiny little pieces.

"Do you wish to die, human?" Seto hissed, and his voice was so cold it could have given people frost bites. "Because I would be more than happy to help you with that wish as well."

And then suddenly, the smaller dragon sat up among the cushions, rubbed one eye with a paw and yawned.

"Seto? What's with all the noise?"

The anger seemed to run of the older dragon in two seconds, and with one last cold look at Joey, he turned back around towards his brother.

"Did I wake you up, Mokuba? I'm sorry." He shot Joey a glance. "I was just trying to take care of some vermin."

Mokuba yawned again and grinned at his brother.

"That's okay. I think it's time to get out of bed anyway." Then he spotted Joey, and his whole face lit up. "Oh, it's the nice human who helped me!"

Seto turned around and raised an eyebrow. Joey shot him a look that clearly said 'Told you do' and then he smiled at Mokuba.

"Hey, kiddo. How are you feeling? Better?"

"Much," Mokuba answered and slid out of bed to walk over to him. "I'm glad you're here! I never had the chance to thank you yesterday! I'm Mokuba, by the way."

"My friends call me Joey," Joey answered. "And it's nice to finally meet eye to eye."

Seto scoffed a little and shot his brother a look.

"You shouldn't be so hospitable, Mokuba. He's a complete stranger."

"But he helped me!" Mokuba told his brother happily. "I hope we can become friends." He turned to Joey. "Can we become friends?"

Seto snorted and rolled his eyes, but Joey smiled and reached out to pat the small dragon on the head. It felt a little awkward, since the drakling was taller than him.

"I would like that, kid," Joey said. "But I'm afraid I won't be staying for that long."

Seto smirked confidently, but Joey looked him straight in the eye without blinking. He _was_ going to get out of here! He had to, for his family's sake!

"That's a pity," Mokuba actually looked sad for a moment, but then brightened up again instantly. "Oh, well! At least we can be friends for a while. And I have to show you around in our home!"

"Mokuba, I don't think-"

"Oh, come on, Seto! What harm can it do? Joey helped me! The least thing we can do is give him a good place to sleep. Please?"

"You know, I'm actually very tired," Joey agreed. And it was true, he was exhausted. And hungry, but he wasn't going to ask for something to eat. He doubted the dragons had anything eatable according to human standards anyway. Come to think of it; what did dragons eat? He'd have to look that up when he got home.

_When_ he got home, not _if_.

Seto looked from Mokuba's pleading face to Joey and back again, and at last, he sighed and walked back to the bed.

"Fine, do what you want. Just don't let him leave, and keep him away from anything valuable. I do _not_ want human fingerprints on the ancient silver."

"Thanks, Seto!" Mokuba chimed happily and practically bounced out the door. He had a lot of energy, considering the fact that he just woke up after a traumatizing experience. "Come on, Joey! Wait till you see the treasure we have stashed away!"

Joey didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd already seen the treasure, so he simply laughed a little and followed Mokuba. It was nice to have a kid around again. He remembered when Serenity was that way. He missed that time. He missed the grown Serenity too.

He paused on the doorstep and looked back at Seto with a determined glare. The dragon looked at him indifferently from the bed, and Joey felt a little spark of his earlier anger. Despite the fact that he had always wished to meet a dragon, he wished that he had never crossed ways with this one.

"I'm still gonna find a way out of here," he promised resolutely. "You can't keep me caged in here."

Seto smirked again, and those blue eyes bore into Joey in a way that gave him goose-bumps.

"I think you will find, human," Seto promised silently. "That I can do a lot of things."

**Gaaaaaaahh!! Hate this chapter! It's so… BORING! Thank god there's at least some action in the next one! Hope you're not disappointed! I promise things will get better! Honestly! **

**Thanks to everyone that reviewed last chap! I never thought I'd get this much response for the first part! I hope to get as many reviews, (if not more!) for this one! The only reason I got done with this chap so fast is because you people reviewed. Honestly, without them, I wouldn't have updated in months. Maybe never!**

**So yeah, thanks for the reviews! **

**Next chapter: "Witches and escapes" coming soon!!! **

**R&B!!! **

**No wait, I meant R&R!!!**


	4. Seto's family

Chapter three: Seto's family

Saridina had once been the capitol of the Witch Masters' lands, and a beautiful, proud city, built completely in white ivory, with gems stuck in the pavement and both young and old witches running around everywhere. It had also once been a peaceful society, but then queen Laijla, and later her daughter Lakishma, had gone insane, and driven their people into termination by war and poverty. Today, the city was a ruin; not even a shadow of its former greatness remained. The white ivory had faded to grey, the gems had long since been dug out and stolen, and the people were dead and buried.

Téa and Keith arrived in Saridina at dusk the day after they had left Domino. They had been forced to leave their horses outside the ruin, since the animals still, after four hundred years, could smell death among the buildings, and refused to visit it. Not even the siblings could deny that death really seemed to lurk behind every corner. Skeletons from grown men and women, as well as small children, lay scattered on the ground where they had been left to rot, barely visible since they had almost completely faded away. Keith actually had his sword pulled out, and jumped at every sound.

"Would you stop that?!" Téa snapped at him at last, after a particularly violent jump when a badger came running from a dark alley right passed them. "You're making me jumpy as well, you idiot. This is ridiculous!"

"I can't help it!" Keith hissed back. "This place gives me the chills like nothing else. Death is present in every corner. There are _dead people _lying on the ground, for god's sake!"

"You shouldn't fear the dead," Téa laughed and kicked the skull of a small child so that it shattered into a thousand pieces. "You think that child will come back to avenge its skull?"

"Very funny," Keith snapped. "Still, all the terrible thing that have happened here. A lot of people died."

"They had it coming," Téa said and kicked another small child skull. "The only good thing Xilian ever did was take out the Witches and assure the human clan as rulers of the world. But I agree that we shouldn't stay here for longer than necessary. We get what we came for, and leave, no questions asked."

"If we can find the hag, that is," Keith muttered. Téa smirked.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. I have a feeling she is still on the exact same place where we left her."

And with that, she made her way towards a large building at the end of the street, with Keith walking behind. At one time, the building might have been a sight to see, possibly a Town Hall or a local library, but now it was, much like the rest of the city; old, decayed, and dead. The door was hanging loose on one hinge, and as Keith touched it, it fell and hit the floor inside the building with a crash. A cloud of dust flew into the air from under the door, and both Téa and Keith coughed a few times.

"Idiot!" Téa hissed between coughs.

"Ah, shut up!" Keith answered.

"Who's there?" Cackled an old voice from the darkness inside the building. It smelled like rotten wood in there, and if one concentrated hard, one could see the bookshelves that lay scattered over the floor. This had really been a library once, filled to the brink with books of magic and secrets of the world, but now it had been raided, and all the books had been either stolen or destroyed. The voice from the darkness didn't seem to be aware of this though.

"Are you thieves?" It screamed hoarsely. "Have you come to steal the books of my people? I won't let you take the secrets we know! My queen would kill me if I did!"

"Your queen is dead since long back, old hag!" Keith called back with an irritated snort. "And all the books have already been stolen! Your people's era was over four hundred years ago! You should be dead since long!"

Suddenly a shadow became visible in the darkness, and as it took a few steps towards the siblings, the light reflected on an old, pale face with wide, maniacal eyes. The woman truly looked ancient, with wild white hair, a frail body dressed in old grey rags, and so many wrinkles one almost couldn't see the black, empty eyes.

"Hello, witch," Téa said with a smile. "We've come to ask a favour of you."

She stared at them for a moment, then very slowly raised her hand to point at them with a bonelike finger.

"I have seen you before," she said with a broken voice.

"Of course you have," Keith snapped. "We're the ones who dug you out of this godforsaken pit! And then you helped us find a dragon, remember?"

"A dragon…" she muttered to herself. "Yes, I remember, it was the last…" then she looked up at them again. "Did the prince like his gift?"

"Not really," Téa answered. "But he _was _surprised."

"What are you doing here?" It was as if the old woman didn't know how to hold on to one subject at a time. She switched back and forth. "I don't want you to be here. The queen will be angry at me."

"You're queen is dead!" Keith repeated, a little louder than necessary. "When are you going to understand that and follow her example, you senile old hag!"

"Lies!" She cried and fell to her knees. "All lies!"

"Stop it, Keith!" Téa snapped. "When she decides to die is none of our business. We're here for one reason, and one reason only; to find the dragon. There's no need to upset her. She's mentally unstable as it is." She turned to the old witch again, and bent down to her eyelevel. "You helped us find a dragon once, now help us again."

"It was… it was the last one." She muttered and stared at her old hands. "You promised to take care of it."

"You were wrong," Téa told her with a smile. "There was another one. A grown one. It crashed in during the party, freed the smaller one, and kidnapped Prince Joey."

The witch seemed to freeze, and stared unblinkingly at her hands.

"A… nother one?"

"Yes."

"A… grown one?"

"Yes."

Finally she raised her face to look at Téa, but it looked like a completely different person. The eyes were suddenly focused, her hand had stopped shaking, and even though she still looked like a very old woman, it didn't look like she would drop dead at any moment anymore.

"That is impossible," she said firmly. "My people made sure the dragons were extinguished."

"Your people screwed up," Keith told her. "At least two of them survived, and for all we know, there can be even more of them out there."

"How dare you!?" The witch hissed and stood up to glare at him. She held herself in a completely different way now, and despite the fact that her eyes still looked mad, it was a completely new madness. She wasn't a confused old hag anymore; she was a witch, completely set on destroying. "They _cannot_ be alive! The curse made sure they would never be able to survive for long! I was _there_ on the night my queen cursed them! I_ saw_ them freeze inside the circle! I felt the black magic she used. I watched the Mage King and his soldiers burn! I'm the one who _made _them burn! It's impossible!"

"No, it isn't," Téa said. "We don't know how, but at least two of them survived. That's why we came to you; to find them."

"Even _if_ I believed in this, how would I do that?"

"It took the prince. We believe that if we find the prince, we find the dragons. But we need your help to find him. Last time we were here, you used an old dragon tooth to tell us where the drakling was. This time we have this:"

And she pulled Joey's sword from the saddle bag she had brought with her into the ruin. The witch stared at it with empty eyes for a moment, then, as Téa held it out for her, took it and inspected it carefully.

"It has belonged to the prince since his birth," Téa explained. "He still has its brother. Will it do to find him?"

"We'll just have to try and see," the witch answered and held the sword in front of her with both hands. She closed her eyes, and for a moment, not a sound could be heard in the room.

When she opened them again, they were completely black.

"He's alive," she whispered hoarsely, and as she opened her mouth, one could see complete blackness between her lips. "You will have to go west… great forest… the hollow mountain… village… and…"

Suddenly she was interrupted by a bright flash of light, and she, Téa and Keith flew backwards in different directions as a wave of magic exploded from the sword. Small bits of the roof fell down, and a new cloud of dust was created. It was a miracle the old library remained standing.

"What the hell just happened!" Keith called as he and Téa stumbled out of the building, covered in grey dust. "Something like that happened with the tooth too, but not nearly as strong! What the fuck!"

"Hmm, looks like I came across a protecting barrier," said the witch as she came walking out the door calmly with the sword in hand. She didn't seem to mind the dust that covered her, but then again; she hadn't exactly been clean before either. "A strong protection spell is hiding something inside the mountain, and when I found the prince's soul, I came too close to it. Much like last time I tried to find a dragon, only the sword, unlike the tooth, was strong enough to survive the protection."

"Very fascinating," Téa said and coughed on some dust. "But did you manage to find Prince Joey?"

"Huh?" The witch looked up. She had been staring at the sword with a dreamy expression. "Oh, yes, of course. We'll have to go west, through the old, endless forest, and find a mountain that is hollow. Below the mountain there is a village. We'll find him in there. The dragons are probably inside the mountain, since that is the place where the protection spell is centred."

And then she promptly stared to laugh out loud. Téa and Keith stared at her for a moment, but when her laughing only grew louder and more and more out of control, Téa turned to Keith with a shrug.

"Well, now we know where to go," she said.

"It'll take time to even reach the forest," Keith said with a frown. "And probably even longer to find that mountain. But I guess it doesn't matter if Joey is still alive or not, does it? We want the dragon, after all."

"They are like cockroaches!" The witch gasped through her laugher and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "All the years my queen spent trying to exterminate them, but they simply won't die!" Suddenly she threw her head back and screamed at the sky above: "I damn those reptiles to _hell_!"

Then she fell silent and stared blankly at the stars that were starting to show on the dark sky. Téa and Keith stared at her in shock.

And then she looked back at them again, and said, as if nothing strange had just happened:

"Well, if we are going to find those oversized lizards, I'd better start making myself ready. We're in for a long journey, after all."

Keith was the first to snap out of his shock at those words.

"What do you mean '_we_'" He said and glared at her. "Listen hag, you have fulfilled your task. We're the ones who will pull this thing off!"

"Oh really?" The witch looked at him with raised eyebrows. It was a completely different person than the one they had met when they arrived fifteen minutes earlier. "And what, if I may ask, do you know of slaying dragons? Of taming them? Do you even have the equipment needed to defeat a grown dragon that can breathe fire and fly?"

"And you do?" Keith challenged. She smirked at him.

"My people spent hundreds of years finding and slaying dragons. _Of course _I do."

"Well, no matter what-" Keith shut up when Téa kicked him hard and turned to the witch with a smile.

"What my brother is _trying _to say it that we would be delighted if you helped us." She said gently. "But we're not sure that you will be able to keep up with us. You are, after all, more than four hundred years old."

"How sweet of you to care," the witch said with a smile and pinched Téa's cheek hard. "You're a real darling, are you not, princess? Well, you won't have to worry about that. There is a reason I've become this old, and it sure as hell isn't eating right and living healthy."

She handed the sword over to Téa and pulled a bottle made of bone from her old, shabby clothes. She gave Keith and Téa a toothless grin.

"Usually, I would have waited another two years or so before using this, but this is a special occasion, isn't it?" She opened the bottle and raised it towards the siblings. "Cheers, sweetie pies!"

And then she gulped down every single drop of the liquid inside it.

The next moment Keith and Téa was thrown backwards as the second explosion of the day went off. This time, it was the witch that exploded.

"You crazy bitch!" Téa cried and looked down at herself. "My clothes have been through enough abuse for one day. Couldn't you at least have warned us first?!"

"Did she commit suicide?" Keith asked and shook his head to get rid of the stars dancing around before his eyes.

"No, she didn't," a girl's voice sang from somewhere inside the cloud the explosion had created. "But she probably shouldn't have drunk the whole thing. Oh well, it's nice to be young and full of life again!"

The dust cloud faded away, and on the place where the ugly old witch had been standing moments before, a short young girl with white-blonde hair, pale, smooth skin and large, blue eyes was standing. The rags hung off her, way to big for her young body, but she didn't seem to care as she walked over to where Keith and Téa were sitting on the ground. Her smile was young and innocent, but the crazy sparkle was still there in her eyes.

"I'm coming with you to find the dragons. You will need my expertise, and I will need your muscles. It's a win-win situation, and I will not be asking for anything. I just want to get the dragons out of the way."

Téa stared up at her for a moment, and tried to comprehend that this girl was the same old hag they had been talking to a moment earlier. And once that sunk in, she laughed lightly and got of the ground.

"We have a deal," she said. "On one condition; that we _tame _the dragons, not kill them. We need them if we are going to take control of Domino."

"If they are tamed, they will be back where they belong; as slaves of the humans." The witch smirked. "I'm in."

She held her hand out for Téa to take. It looked a bit ridiculous, since she only reached the human to the waist, but Téa ignored it, smiled once more, and took the hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you," the girl grinned. "You can call me Rebecca."

* * *

"So _that's_ what a human looks like." 

"I had expected something a little more… _different _from us."

"It's a good thing he's asleep, he would have felt like an animal in a cage otherwise, with the way you're staring at him."

"He's very pretty, isn't he?"

"I think he looks weak! Not an alpha at all!"

"You're only saying that because I think he's pretty."

"He would never be able to protect you, Ryou!"

"Of course not! That's what I've got you for, remember?"

"I think it's time for him to wake up!"

"Aibou, he's asleep."

"And he has been for the last three hours since we got here! I want to talk to him _sometime_, and he's not giving me a choice. Does anyone know a way to wake him up?"

"I do!"

Joey yelped as the cushions beneath him lurked violently to the side, and he toppled out onto the cold stone floor, tangled up in his sheets.

"I meant in a nice way, Mokuba," a voice above him deadpanned.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Joey cried and tried to fight his way out of the tangled sheets. "If this is a joke, Tris, then it's not fucking funny!"

"I was just trying to wake you up," an innocent voice chimed, and a dark grey dragon face came into view. It grinned happily at him. "And my name is Mokuba, by the way."

Joey stopped his struggling and blinked up at Mokuba, for a moment completely lost as to where the hell he was. He looked around the room: black stone walls, a bed of soft cushions and a window the shape of a big circle that showed off the most incredible view he could imagine. And just like that, it all came crashing down on him.

"Oh… right," he muttered and finally managed to free himself from the sheets to sit on the bed. "I'm here… the dragon cave."

"Wow, you're really not a morning person, are you?" Mokuba said and sat down on the bed beside him with his tail swinging back and forth. "Or should I say, afternoon person, since it's way passed morning."

Joey rubbed his eyes and glanced at the young dragon. After a short look around the day before, Mokuba had noticed that he was yawning a lot, and lead him to one of the bedrooms close to his and Seto's. Joey had been way too tired to care about if he was sleeping close to or far from his captor, and had fallen asleep the moment he had laid down.

"For how long have I been sleeping?" He asked Mokuba and stretched.

"You slept through all day and all night yesterday," Mokuba told him. "It's afternoon now. I figured you had to be tired, so I thought I'd let you sleep, but now we couldn't wait anymore."

Joey stopped his movements and glanced at Mokuba again.

"We?"

Mokuba smiled and nodded at the door.

"We."

For the first time, Joey realised there were five others in the room. There was a slender young woman with long black hair, dark olive skin and dark blue eyes that looked like they held all the secrets of the world. In front of her stood two shorter boys, one with white hair, pale skin and kind brow eyes. He smiled politely at Joey, but the huge white wolf that was sitting beside him growled softly. Beside the pale boy stood an even shorter one, with the strangest hair Joey had ever seen. It stood up in star-shaped, black spikes, with dark violet streaks mixed in it. His big amethyst eyes were watching Joey curiously and there was a friendly smile on his lips. On his shoulder sat a big black bird with golden wings and intelligent red eyes.

Joey blinked at them for a moment.

"Eh… hello?"

And they smiled brightly and walked into the room.

"Finally, you're awake!" The boy with the spikes and the bird said happily. "We've been waiting for you to wake up. As soon as Mokuba told us there was a human visiting, we all knew we had to meet him!"

"You'll have to forgive the rude awakening." Joey almost got a heart attack as the bird spoke to him with a dark, smooth voice. "Aibou simply couldn't wait to meet you. He's very impatient."

"Like you didn't want to meet him," the boy said and stuck his tongue out at the bird.

"I did, but I have the curtsey to wait. And the patience."

"I hope you don't mind," Mokuba said to Joey. "I figured that if you're going to stay for a while, I might as well introduce you to the gang. That way, you won't be lonely."

"Uh… thanks," Joey said and tried to catch up with the situation. He probably would have been able to quite easily, if it hadn't been for the talking animal part.

"Okay, so this is Isis," Mokuba said and gestured to the woman. "She's brother's advisor and a bit of a babysitter for me sometimes."

"You're far too old to have a babysitter, master Mokuba," she said with her soft, pleasant voice. Mokuba smiled at her and turned towards the pale boy, who smiled shyly at Joey.

"This is Ryou. He lives in the village below the mountain. And this," he gestured at the huge wolf, "is Ryou's friend, mentor, protector and pet, Bakura."

"Watch it, drakling! I'm no one's pet!" The wolf growled, but remained seated by Ryou's side.

Mokuba simply laughed at turned to the last boy, and his bird.

"And this is Yugi," he finished. "He too lives in the village with his grandfather, and the bird is Yami, his protector. Like Bakura is for Ryou."

"Okay," Joey said and smiled, still a little confused. "Nice to meet you all. I'm… uh… Prince Joseph of Domino, but my friends call me Joey."

Ryou's and Yugi's eyes became huge, and they walked closer to sit beside him.

"You're a prince?" Ryou asked.

"That's so cool!" Yugi exclaimed. "I've never met a prince before. So do you have a throne, and an army, and servants and all that jazz?"

"Do you make big decisions in you kingdom?" Ryou asked. "That's incredible! I would never be able to do that! I'm far too insecure to decide anything."

"Is that why you're wearing these beautiful clothes?" Yugi asked and stroked Joey's golden shirt. "It must be nice to wear clothes like that. My grandpa only gives me blue and purple clothes to wear."

They were suddenly interrupted by a loud growling that almost made the walls shake. Ryou and Yugi turned around to glare at Bakura, but the wolf only glared right back.

"I didn't say anything!" He snapped.

"Uh, no, that would be my stomach," Joey said with an embarrassed laugh. When the others stared at him, he narrowed his eyes. "What? I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday!"

Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba fell over laughing, but Isis smiled kindly at him.

"Well, then I understand why your stomach is sounding like Bakura," she said.

"I do _not_ sound like that," Bakura muttered, but the others ignored him.

"Yeah," Mokuba said as soon as he had stopped laughing. "You didn't get anything to eat yesterday, and it was a pretty exciting day, wasn't it?"

Before Joey could answer, his stomach did it for him, with a new, loud growl. Isis laughed silently.

"It's a good thing master Seto gets food from the village for me to eat," she said. "Come with me, and we'll see what we can find to eat."

Joey wasn't late to follow, and the others were right on his heels. Yugi and Mokuba walked up beside him, Ryou walked beside Mokuba and Bakura beside Ryou. Yami was still sitting on Yugi's shoulder.

"So human," Bakura growled. "How come you're here, and when are you leaving?"

"Don't mind Bakura," Ryou said with a smile. "It's a wolf thing; he's always like this when there's a new member of the pack." He patted Bakura on the head. The wolf almost bit him, but Ryou only laughed. "Although he's right. How come you _are _here, Joey?"

"It's a long story," Joey said as they turned to walk into the tunnel in the middle. "But it all started with my birthday party yesterday-"

"Happy birthday!" Yugi chimed.

"Thanks," Joey answered and grinned at him. He felt at home among theses people. Almost as if he had been friend with them for years, and yet he didn't know a thing about them. "Well, there's a pair of siblings in the court named Téa and Keith…"

By the time Joey had finished his story (Mokuba helped a little) they were all seated in a room with a table and chairs in human size. From a cupboard Isis had picked bread, fruits, and some dried meat that they could all eat. Now they were almost finished.

"So what you're saying is," Yugi concluded. "That Seto's keeping you here, because he is afraid that you will tell someone else about this place, and that they will come looking for us."

"Yup," Joey said and swallowed a last piece of bread. He leaned back in his chair and enjoyed the feeling of a full stomach. "Thing is, I'd never do that, and my family is waiting for me at home, but I can't get to them, because he doesn't _trust me_."

"That sucks," Mokuba said and chewed on the dried meat.

"Uh huh," Joey muttered and glanced at everyone around the table. "So now I'm forced to try and find a way out of here by myself. Any of you know a way?"

They all seemed to exchange looks, than Yugi shook his head with a frown.

"I'm sorry, Joey, but there is no way out of here except the windows and the opening."

"If that's true, then how do you and Ryou get here?" Joey asked him.

"Well…" Yugi said and scratched the back of his head. "I fly."

"You fly?"

"Yup."

"Care to explain that?"

"Yami gives me a lift," Yugi said and turned to the bird, who sat perched on the back of his chair. "Show him, Yami."

Yami sighed silently, and the next moment, he had grown about ten sizes. Suddenly, he was the same size as Mokuba. Even a little bigger. And then he was back to normal again, before Joey could blink, or the chair could fall apart under his weight.

"Wow!" Joey said. "That's how you get here? Exactly what _are_ you guys?" He turned to Bakura. "Can you do stuff like that too?"

"That's none of your business!" Bakura snapped.

"Behave," Ryou scolded him and turned back to Joey. "None of us know from where Yami and Bakura came. They were simply there one day, ready and willing to protect us. The rest of the villagers took it as a sign, and let them stay with me and Yugi as protectors."

"And you have no idea where you came from?" Joey asked Yami. "None what so ever?"

"No," Yami sighed. "I remember a flash and hideous pain, and then... I woke up like this."

"That's really weird," Joey concluded. Yami nodded in response. Bakura snorted softly.

"Have you ever heard of the curse at the copper tables, Joey?" Ryou asked.

"Yeah, of course."

"Then you know that the Mage King Atemu was killed that night. And that some kind of chain-reaction made all the Mages loose their powers as he died."

"Yeah, I've read about that," Joey said. "No one's ever been able to figure out what spell it was."

"And even to this day, we have no idea what kind of spell that managed to break through the magic barrier surrounding the king," Yugi nodded. "Either way; the few Mages that were left after the war had to run. They hid in this forest, and as the years passed, they found a place to stay, and built a village there. Ryou and I are both living in that village today. Everyone in it knows about Seto and Mokuba, and they come down to us sometimes, to talk and get food."

"For over four hundred year, no one in the village has been born with magical powers," Mokuba filled in. "Until Ryou and Yugi were born. They can use shadow magic, so the villagers let them come here often enough to practise their powers. It's a lot safer here, with Seto and Isis around. But Bakura and Yami are the ones training them."

"Some people believe me and Yugi to be reincarnations of King Atemu and his best general," Ryou said with a laugh. "Guess they are getting desperate or something. We are nothing special."

"You shouldn't speak like that, Ryou," Isis said. "The possibility that you are is big."

Yami and Bakura looked a little awkward, but no one noticed.

"What about you, Isis?" Joey said and turned to the beautiful woman. "How does a woman like you end up as advisor for the last living dragon?"

Isis smiled a little at him and started to tell her story:

"I wasn't born here. My homeland is a desert far, far from here. I lived there with my family, like so many others, and I was a healer. But one night my younger brother and I got a visit in our dreams from the desert god; our people's protection god. He told us we had to find the last dragons and help them through the hardships they were to endure. And then he gave me an incredible gift."

"What was that?"

"The power to grant _one _wish."

Joey blinked and stared at her for a moment. Isis smiled again at the dumbstruck look on his face.

"I know it sounds a little strange, but I will be able to grant one wish that Seto or Mokuba makes. That is the meaning of my mission. That is the reason me and my brother left our people to find the last dragons. It must be one special gift; they can't simply wish for anything, it has to be the exact right one; even the formulation is important."

"Okay, so you can only grant the right wish," Joey said. "And that is…?"

"I don't know yet. But I will know when I hear it." Isis said. "And until master Seto or Mokuba makes the right wish, I will serve them faithfully. My brother, Malik, is too, but he left about six months ago. He believes that there are more living dragons out there, and he is dead set on finding them"

Joey stared at her for a moment, and then shook his head.

"You people are weird."

"Mokuba, where's-" suddenly the door opened and Seto's head became visible in the opening. He took one look at the people around the table, and smirked. "Oh, but isn't this a nice little collection. Making yourself comfortable already, human? Smart; you will be staying for a while."

"Screw you!" Jou hissed. "I'm going to find a way out of here if it's the last thing I do!"

"We'll see," Seto said and turned to Isis. "Healer, come with me. I have something I want to discuss with you."

"Of course, master Seto," Isis answered and rose from the table. She bowed to Joey. "My prince, it was an honour. And just so you know; if you really will be staying for a while, then we will make sure you like it here."

"Isis, come on!" Seto muttered and left the room.

Isis bowed to Joey once more, then to everyone else around the table, and disappeared after Seto. Joey turned around towards the ones still left in the room; a drakling, a bird, a wolf and two boys with magical powers. How did he end up in these situations?

"Where are they going?" He asked.

"To Seto's office," Mokuba answered. "Don't ask me why or what they do in there, Seto won't even tell _me_."

"That secret, huh?" Joey stared at the door with a thoughtful expression. "I wonder what they do…"

"Don't," Yugi advised him and stood up. "Come with us, Joey, and we'll show you what me and Ryou can do with our powers. It's really cool."

"It actually is!" Mokuba agreed and made his way to the door. "We'll go and find a room where you guys can practise. Come on! They can blow stuff up and everything!"

"Not today," Yami said. "We will be practicing reconstructions today."

Yugi and Ryou groaned.

"Do we have to?" Yugi asked pleadingly as the bird jumped onto his shoulder. "It's so hard, Yami!"

"Practise makes perfect, Aibou. Practise makes perfect."

"You always say that, but it doesn't make it less boring."

"Stop whining, squirt," Bakura growled. "Act your age."

"You're no fun, 'Kura," Yugi said and mock-glared at him.

"Don't call me that!"

Joey was practically dragged out the door and down the corridor as the rest of the group continued their discussion/argument, but he barely noticed. His thoughts were completely fixed on that office. He hadn't been here for more than two days, but he could clearly see that Mokuba meant a lot to Seto. So if the older dragon didn't even tell _him _about what was in that office, it had to be something pretty extraordinary.

_And maybe_, he thought and felt anticipation stir in the pit of his stomach. _There is something in there that can help me get out of here. _

**Wah, I practically forced myself to write this. I hope it doesn't sound forced.**

**Yeah, I changed the name of chapter. Big deal! I don't have the energy to write down something long here, so I'll just ask you people to review! PLEASE DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Good night, everyone! **

**R&R!!!**


	5. To escape

Chapter four: To escape

After one week as Seto's captive, Joey could say one thing and mean it wholeheartedly:

Escaping a dragon cave was _NO _picnic.

He had tried _everything_! During this week, he had examined every single window to see if he could climb out of any of them. He had tied together a dozen curtains to use as a rope. He had used a giant sheet as a parachute. He had built a pair of wings from pillows cases and planks. He had tried to nag Yami into helping him out of there. And after going through every library in the cave, he had tried to _make _himself a pair of wings with the help of a magic potion.

He had tried to do all that and much more.

_And none of it had worked! _The walls were just as smooth outside every window. One of the knots on his "rope" had slipped while he was climbing down. The parachute had proven to be too small. And the wings had fallen apart the moment he'd jumped from the cave into the air. All three times, Yami had been the one saving him from a certain death, mere seconds before he hit the ground. But as he'd tried to make the hawk-like bird put him down on the ground instead of flying back up to the cave opening, Yami had completely refused. Oh, and the potion he had tried to make had blown up in his face. Literally.

Still, Joey had been able to take that. He wasn't one to give up or get angry just because a task became difficult, not matter how tiring, painful or dangerous for his health it might be. He'd never been a quitter, and that was something he was proud of.

No, what made him loose his cool and go of like a steamer, was the absolutely smug, mocking smirk Seto gave him every time he came back from a failed escape mission. Whenever the dragon saw him, he would smirk and raise his eyebrows, as if to say 'You're still here? I knew you would be.' And the worst part was that he never said anything, so Joey couldn't even yell at him properly.

So after one week, he was sick and tired of it all! It was pure crap. Which led him to his current position:

He was sitting in the 'kitchen' where he had talked to Yugi and the others on the first day. His right cheek was resting on the table, and he was staring blankly at the wall to his left. His arms hung limply by his sides.

Mokuba, Yugi and Ryou stuck their heads into the room, exchanged knowing glances and quietly slipped inside. Mokuba walked over to stand beside Joey and stared at him for a moment. The blank look, the complete stillness… he wasn't even blinking.

"He's not dead, is he?" Ryou asked anxiously and leaned in closer to inspect Joey's face. Still, there were no signs of life from the blonde.

"He was fine last night when he went to bed," Mokuba answered and cocked his head to the side. "But he must be tired. The last few days he's been working until late at night. He only stops to eat."

"Does he really want to leave that bad?" Yugi asked and sat down in the chair opposite to Joey.

Mokuba shrugged.

"He wants to get home. Or… I think that's _partly _why he's working so hard."

"And why else?" Ryou asked and sat down as well.

"Because Seto gets really smug every time he sees that Joey's failed to escape. I think he wants to prove big brother wrong."

"So those two are finally warming up to each other?" Yugi said with an ironic smile, and folded his arms over his chest. "I knew they'd get along. Joey's the first person I've met who is as thick-headed as Seto."

"Yes, but he's nicer than Seto," Ryou said and poked Joey cheek. The blonde still didn't move. "It's nice to meet someone new for once. It was getting a little boring here until he showed up."

"To bad he wants to leave," Mokuba said and looked a little sad. "If he wasn't so obsessed with getting out of here, I think we could have great fun."

"_Aha_!" Joey suddenly exclaimed and sat up straight in his chair, making the other three jump in surprise. "I've got it! A broom! I'll have to enchant a broom, and then I can fly out of here on it! Like they do in fairytales!"

Mokuba, Yugi and Ryou stared at him in shock, but Joey beamed at them.

"Doesn't that sound like the best idea ever?"

"Uh…" They exchanged confused glances, but when they understood that Joey was waiting for an answer, Mokuba was the first to react.

"And where are you going to get a broom?" he asked carefully. Joey's whole body seemed to almost glow with determination.

"I can build one!"

"Remember what happened last time you tried to build something, Joey?" Yugi reminded him and picked with the millennium puzzle around his neck. "Yami had to save you. Three times."

"It'll be different this time!" Joey explained. "It's easier to build a broom than a pair of wings! I know this will work!"

"Like it did last time?" Mokuba asked. "And even if you managed to build a real broom, how are you supposed to enchant it?"

"Isis will help me! Or you guys!"

"We can't enchant things yet, Joey," Yugi reminded him. "We barely know how to tear down and construct. And Isis is a healer, not a magician."

"Okay, so then I'll… I can… uh…" just as suddenly as it had shown up, his determination left him, and Joey scoffed and fell back in his chair with his arms crossed. "Fine! Shoot me down! I feel so abandoned."

"We just don't want you to get yourself killed, Joey," Ryou told him gently. "Your ideas are getting worse, you know. Maybe it's time to take a break."

"I can't," Joey said. "I've been gone for a week already. They must be really worried about me at home. I don't want them to be."

"Well, if you kill yourself during some idiotic escape plan, you'll never get out of here," Mokuba said. "Desperate people do stupid things. What you need is a distraction." Suddenly he lit up like a candle, and pushed at Joey lightly with his head to make the human stand up. "I've got it! Come on, let's go! I wanna show you something really cool!"

Joey let himself be pushed away from his chair and towards the door, but hesitated in the opening.

"I don't know, Mokuba," he said and looked over his shoulder at the drakling. "My top priority right now should be escaping. I don't really want to waste valuable time."

"But he's right, Joey," Ryou insisted and put his hands on Joey's shoulders to help Mokuba push him out of the kitchen. "You need a break before you kill yourself with all those plans of yours. It's not healthy to just sit around and think like you do."

"Besides," Yugi agreed, "we wanna show you what we do for fun around here. Let us show you how we live."

Joey still looked hesitant, but after a few more minutes of pleading and coaxing from his friends, he gave in and let himself be pushed out the door.

"Alright," he sighed. "I guess a small break can't hurt."

* * *

"We call it the air hole!" Mokuba screamed into Joey's ear to make himself heard over the loud howling of the wind. "None of us know if it's a natural phenomenon, something made from magic, or if it's some kind of huge ventilator to make the air in the cave circulate, but it's great fun to play with!"

Joey was only half listening. He was staring with wide eyes at the huge shaft in front of him, while the wind tore at his hair and clothes. The shaft was shaped like a circle and must have a diameter of at least ten metres. The walls were smooth; all uneven surfaces had been literally blown away by the tornado-like wind that seemed to come from deep down in the shaft. Joey couldn't see the bottom or the opening at the top; the shaft was too deep. Still, there had to be an opening, right?

And that gave him an idea.

"Is there an opening at the top?" he shouted to Yugi, whom was standing beside him.

"Seto's been looking for one from the outside on many different occasions, but has never been able to find one!" Yugi answered. It was funny, but his hair didn't look any different now from what it did usually, despite the violent wind. "And the wind is too strong for him or Yami to fly up and look from the inside. Personally, I think it's some kind of old magic, and that the air doesn't need a way out." He glanced at Joey, as if he could read the blond boy's thoughts. "It's impossible to get out through it."

Joey's spirit dampened as another one of his ideas was squashed. He sighed and raked a hand through his hair in frustration. It had been stupid to come here. He needed to concentrate on finding a way home. Not stupid games.

"Maybe I should go back to the kitchen," he told Mokuba with a smile. "I've had a break now, and I really shouldn't waste more time."

He had already turned around to leave when Yugi and Ryou grabbed him and pulled him back.

"No way!" Yugi shouted. "You think we showed you this because we think it's a pretty hole?"

"It's a hole in the ground!" Joey said. "What's so great about it?"

"See for yourself!" Mokuba chimed.

Joey didn't have time to react. One moment, he was standing on the edge with his three new friends, the next thing he knew, Mokuba had snuck up behind him and pushed him into the hole.

His heart leaped into his throat, he closed his eyes tightly and flailed around with his arms wildly for a moment, then he realised something very strange.

He wasn't falling.

He opened one eye, but had to blink several times, because the wind made it water. He turned his head to the side, and realised that he was hanging in the air, right beside the platform where Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba were standing. They were grinning widely at him, and Yugi was obviously saying something, because Joey could see his lips moving, but he couldn't hear what it was over the howl of the wind in his ears. He did, however, hear the laughter as the three of them leaped from the edge and "landed" in the air beside and above him. The wind was strong enough to keep all of them floating. Even Mokuba.

It was obvious that Mokuba, Yugi and Ryou had done this hundreds of times before. They twisted, turned and danced in the air in a way that made it look like they wereflying by themselves. Yugi rolled around in the air until he was beside the blonde, and grinned at him.

"Let's play tag!" he called and hit Joey lightly on the arm. "You're it!"

And then he quickly rolled away again, to make sure Joey wouldn't tag him back.

It took hours for Joey to learn the trick behind air-tag. Most of the time, he was only wiggling around in the air without really getting anywhere. But with the help of his three friends, he slowly learned how to turn and twist to move around in the shaft. If he wanted to levitate higher, he had to "lie down" in a horizontal position and take up as much space as he could. If he wanted to sink lower, he "stood up" in a vertical position. He moved around by rolling, or "air swimming".

All in all, by the time the four of them actually got out of the air hole, the sun had set, and they were tired and hungry. But Joey could say, without the question of a doubt, that it had been one of the best days of his life. And he had to agree with what Ryou had said to him on one occasion, as the albino had slipped up beside him, grabbed his arm and smiled at him.

It had felt like flying for real.

* * *

Serenity was lying under her bed with both hands covering her mouth as she tried to stifle her violent sobs and panting. She was a complete mess. Her hair hadn't been combed for days, her dress was ripped and wrinkled and the aura that had always seemed to surround her, an aura of kindness and happiness, had faded. Her face was pale and frightened, her eyes bloodshot, and she had a bloody nose, and a black eye.

She had run to her bedroom- a place where she had always found comfort and safety- on instinct, and it was an old memory from her childhood that had made her hide under the bed like a baby. She had hid there multiple times while playing hide and seek with Joey, Tristan and Duke, and even though she was well aware it was nowhere near the best place to hide, it was the best her panic-stricken brain could come up with.

Heavy footsteps in the corridor outside her room made her gasp in fear en press her hands even tighter to her mouth to hide the sobs. He couldn't find her. He couldn't find her. Oh please, don't let him find her.

"Little princess," Keith sung softly and leaned against the doorframe. She could see his boots from her place under the bed. "I know you're under there."

She sobbed even harder, and pressed herself closer to the wall behind her, but it didn't matter as Keith crossed the floor in five steps, bent down and pulled her out. She kicked, screamed and cried, but he simply threw her down on the bed.

"You led me to your bedroom?" He laughed. "And here I was starting to think you didn't want me."

"Joey…" She sobbed and curled up in a tight ball. "Joey's gonna kill you! He'll avenge all the evil things you've done!"

"Joey doesn't care about you, love," Keith told her hoarsely, his eyes already burning with lust for her young body. "He's left you. He's not coming back. And no one else's gonna save you. Your grandfather is dead, as are those two childhood friends of yours. And your mother is being taken care of by some of my guards as we speak." He pulled a hand through his hair, and bent down over her. "So everything's in order, kitten."

She wanted to deny it, wanted to close her eyes and know that he was lying, but at the same time; she couldn't! She had seen him and Téa slit the throat of her grandfather… had watched as her mother was dragged by the hair out of the castle by some of Keith's henchmen… had seen the dogs feed on Tristan's and Duke's lifeless bodies…

And suddenly she realized there was nothing left to fight for. What was the point, when everyone she loved were gone, except one, whom had abandoned her? There _was_ no point, and as she realized this, her body went limb with defeat.

Keith smiled a cruel smile and lowered himself down over her.

"I knew you'd see my side of the story, little princess. Now, let's take that awful dress of, shall we?"

* * *

Brown eyes snapped open and Joey sat up in bed with a scream. He was cold-sweating, trembling, and completely confused as to where he was for a moment. Then it all came back to him; the cave, Seto, Mokuba, the others, his worthless escape-plans, and last but not least: that terrible, hideous dream.

Joey pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapped his arms around them, and cried like he hadn't since he was child and his father had died.

All his feelings: fear and worry for his family and himself, frustration at his disability to do anything about it, anger at his own weakness and Seto's stubborn decision, jealousy at the others, whom had their home and family with them, homesickness… it all blended together in a chaos of emotions that he simply couldn't contain any longer.

He didn't even care of he was crying loud enough for others to hear him. All he wanted was to go home! Why couldn't Seto see that?! Why couldn't anyone see that?!

Almost an hour later, Joey had calmed down enough to pull himself out of his grief. He wiped the tears away, and looked up. Through the large circular window in the room, he could see that the sun was just rising above the trees in the old forest. It was early. So early in fact, that he couldn't even hear the birds chirping. Usually, they were loud enough for the happy singing to reach Joey, even though the mountain was a lot higher than any of the trees.

With a sigh, Joey threw his bedcover aside and slid out of bed. The stone floor was cold beneath his feet as he tiptoed over to the window and made himself comfortable on the edge. He wasn't afraid of height, so the steep wall outside it didn't faze him. Instead Joey closed his eyes and tried to sit as still as possible. He knew that if he did, the sunbeams would warm him a lot faster. Not only that, but the wonderful golden light of the sun calmed his nerves and washed away the shadows the dream had brought.

Joey frowned as pictures from the dream flashed in his mind. It had been terrible, but now, in the light of day, he realized how illogical it had been. There was no way Téa and Keith could have taken control of Domino. Let alone kill his family. His grandfather was far too powerful for that. No, that terrible nightmare had been born from his worries and overactive imagination.

_Still_, he thought and felt a shiver run down his spine, _maybe it's a bad omen. _

Joey opened his eyes and watched the land beneath him. It truly was a beautiful sight, and if he wasn't being held here against his will, he might have enjoyed it a little more. The sky was blue, the forest dark green and lush like a giant soft carpet, and the sun warm and inviting. Suddenly two large birds flew into his sight, and started circling each other, hundreds of metres above the ground. They were big (not as big as Yami could become, though) and had not one, but _two_ sets of wings, and long, flowing tail-feathers that shimmered from blue to green in the morning sun. Joey had never seen birds like that before, but guessed they must be morning birds. He had never been one to wake up early.

Still, he was a little grateful that he had woken early today. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the pleasure of seeing these beautiful creatures.

As Joey watched, the birds continued to circle each other, and slowly closed in on each other. After a few minutes, they were so close the wings were touching. And then one of them made a sudden movement, gave a loud shriek and attacked the other. In front of Joey's shocked eyes, they clashed and fought with beaks and claws, colourful feathers and blood whirling around them. In the end, they both started to fall; still latched to one another in the violent fight, down… down… until they disappeared among the trees. Their war-cries were abruptly cut off.

Joey continued to watch the place where they had fallen for a few moments.

_Bad omen indeed. _

Joey shivered violently, and decided it was time to go find Mokuba, Yugi and Ryou. He needed a distraction from his dark thoughts.

He had barely shut the door silently behind him, before muffled voices from the room next to his own; Seto's and Mokuba's bedroom, reached his ears. He barely recognized Yami's melodious voice and Bakura's dark growling, and silently slid closer to listen. Joey had never been one to eavesdrop, but the door wasn't shut properly, and there was a small possibility that what they were talking about could give him information on a way to escape.

As he stopped at the crack in the door, Joey could hear that they actually _were_ talking about him, and his interest grew even more.

"He's the prince of the humans, Seto. They'll come looking for him." Yami's voice sounded calm, but almost scolding at the same time, and Joey realized that the magic hawk might be trying to help him get back home. His hopes were quickly squished, however, as Seto answered him calmly and confidently:

"They won't find him here."

"They might."

"They won't."

An exasperated sigh from Yami.

"Either way, he is a problem for us, and you know that! No matter how stubbornly you are denying it, you can't keep him here forever. You're not that cruel, Seto!"

"I have no other choice!" Seto also sounded exasperated now. "What else can I do with him?"

"You could kill him," Bakura interjected helpfully.

"I'm not going to kill him." Joey could see clearly in his head how Seto shot Bakura an irritated glare. "I can't anyway."

"Oh yes, that promise you made to your king." Bakura sounded amused. "Never to kill unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I was foolish when I made that promise." Seto sounded disgruntled.

"You were young, Seto," Yami answered softly. Seto snorted.

"Don't remind me."

And then there was a yelp of surprise from both Yami and Bakura at the same time.

"What happened?" Seto asked.

"Ryou…" Bakura growled, and the next thing Joey knew, the door was thrown open and hit him in the face as Bakura stormed out, followed closely by Yami. "_Don't touch my Ryou!_" he roared as he disappeared down the corridor. Joey quickly scrambled to his feet, pressed his hand to his nose (it hurt like hell, but didn't seem to be bleeding) and ran away from the scene before Seto could find him. He ran down the corridor, glanced behind him to make sure the bigger dragon wasn't following…

…and ran straight into something else instead.

The impact was so strong Joey stumbled backwards and lost his balance. He yelped in pain as his behind connected with the floor, and had to shake his head to make it stop spinning.

What the hell was that?! It had felt like running into a stone pillar or something (and Joey would know; he'd done that thousands of times in his father's castle) only softer and warmer.

Joey shot a glance at the person he had run into…

And felt the colour drain from his face.

The creature before him looked like a human… somewhat. Tall, dressed in grey rags and with swelling muscles, it stood before Joey, and watched him with animalistic violet eyes. Wild, untamed, sand-coloured hair fell down over its broad back, and almost hid the pointed face and white, sharp-looking fangs from view. The hands were calloused, and the nails looked like claws. It stood before him completely unmoving, but still looked as if it was ready to pounce and rip his throat out at any moment.

That, however, wasn't what made Joey's insides feel like ice.

Around its neck, it wore two necklaces. One looked like a small, upside-down turned pyramid. The other like a ring with a triangle inside it. Both necklaces wore the symbol of an eye.

Joey had seen the very same necklaces around Yugi's and Ryou's necks the day before.

**I'M NOT DEAD!!! I had a writer's block the size of Australia (I hate when that happens!) but fortunately for you guys, I managed to drag myself out of it, thanks to music and your reviews! **

**SPEAKING OF REVIEWS! **

**Isn't it annoying when you see that people have added you to their author's alert or favourite list, but they haven't reviewed? COME ON, PEOPLE! If you like the story enough to add it to your favourite stories-list, then you like it enough to leave at least a small comment! It's not that hard! **

**Reviews will be appreciated, saved and treasured for the rest of my life! Nothing makes my world spin like a good comment. (Seriously, I **_**do **_**save all my reviews!) **

**R&R!!!**


	6. The messenger

**NOTE**** to the reviewer known as -S- :**** I do NOT answer anonymous reviews, so if you have questions you want me to answer, I suggest you either get an account or leave me your e-mail in a PM. I do wanna answer you, but I won't take up even more space in this chap. Just so you know! Hope you'll contact me! **

Chapter five: The messenger

Adhara was awoken from her light, restless sleep by the sound of her creaking bedroom door and urgent footsteps over stone floor. She felt a gentle hand shake her shoulder, and then a worried male voice:

"My queen? My queen, I'm sorry to wake you up like this, but you have to come quick! Serenity… she's… you have to come!"

Adhara sat up quickly and looked into the emerald eyes of one of her son's oldest friends. Duke looked like most people in the castle did these days; worried, sad, and tired. She herself could see a fraction of her own longing and worry in his eyes, even now. But she quickly put it aside. Now was about Serenity.

"What has happened to my daughter, Duke?" she asked and slid out of the bed she had once shared with her husband.

At the sight of her naked body, Duke blushed violently and looked away. He quickly turned around while the queen dressed in a light blue morning-gown.

"Nothing, you highness. She is fine… at least physically. But she… I don't know how to explain it… You have to come and talk to her right now."

Adhara swept her hair into a messy ponytail and put a hand on Duke's shoulder to signal that he could turn around. When he did she met his gaze with dark, strong eyes.

"Where is she?"

"In her room. Tristan had to restrain her… She…"

But the queen was already out the door and on her way down the corridor. Duke had to run to keep up with her.

Serenity had always been the tidier of the two royal children. Where Joey usually seemed to bring chaos wherever he went, Serenity kept everything in order. In her room, there was a place for everything, and everything in its place. Therefore, Adhara was completely shocked when she stepped into the princess's room and was met with a mess that even Joey would have been impressed by. Clothes, jewelleries and makeup lay scattered all over the floor; the sheets had been kicked of the bed, and all paintings except one (the family portrait with her father in it) had fallen to the floor.

And in the middle of it all: Serenity. She was scurrying around in nothing but her nightgown, ripping clothes and necessities from the floor to throw in a bag on her bed. Tristan was trying to make her stop, but every time he tried to touch her, she avoided his hands or slapped them away.

"Serenity, you can't do this," he told her desperately.

"Don't tell me what I can or can't do!" Serenity snapped in a way that was very unlike her. "I'm tired of waiting for something that's never going to happen! I'm tired of not doing anything! If no one else is going to find Joey, I'll have to do it myself!"

Adhara sighed heavily and closed her eyes for a moment. She had been expecting something like this; no one was as close to Joey as Serenity, and her brother's disappearance was bound to affect her violently. Still, the queen didn't have the energy to deal with this. Rabastan was participating in the search, and had left all royal duties to her. That, on top of her worry for her son, was hard enough. If only Serenity had come to talk to her about this, they wouldn't be in this situation.

"Serenity," she said gently and took a step into the room. "Put your things back. You're not going anywhere."

Serenity and Tristan turned around to face her. Tristan gave her and then Duke a grateful smile, but Serenity simply glared.

"No, mom, not this time! It's been a week! _A week_! No one's found him, and I'm tired of waiting! I'm going to help in the search, and nothing you say or do can stop me."

"All search-teams have already left."

"Then I'll go alone!"

"Where?" Adhara asked her softly, and studied the face of her beloved daughter. "You have no idea where you should go. No one does. What if you travel far, far away, and Joey comes back while you're gone? Don't you think you would be the first he would want to see?"

Serenity was shaking from head to toe. Her anger mixed together with her sadness and longing for her adored older brother, and the fact that Adhara didn't seem to be the least bit upset, only made things worse.

"I have to do something, mom!" She exclaimed and furiously brushed her tears away. She was _not_ going to cry! She was too old for that now! _Adhara_ never cried! "I _want _to do something!"

"I know, darling," Adhara said and looked at her gently. "We all do. But we're doing everything we can. We search, we pray, and we don't loose control. I know it hurts, sweetie, but there's nothing else we can do."

The words didn't have the calming effect Adhara had hoped for. Instead of Serenity seeing reason and calming down, her eyes flashed with rage.

"How can you say that?!" She screamed, and couldn't stop the tears from falling anymore. "How can you say that so calmly, when you know Joey might be dead?! You're acting as if you don't care! _You don't care, do you?!_"

It felt like a slap in the face and a punch in the gut at the same time, but Adhara mustered all the strength she had yearned after years as a queen, and stood tall. Before anyone had the time to blink, she had crossed the floor and slapped Serenity so hard the young girl fell to the floor.

"Stop it right now!" She hissed in rage and looked down into wet, shocked eyes. "There is nothing to gain from throwing mindless accusations around! Is this how a young princess is supposed to behave? I'm starting to think I've had too high thoughts of you!"

Serenity looked hurt, sad and a little scared, and the look made Adhara take deep breaths and kneel down to eyelevel with her daughter.

"I care," she said quietly and looked at the younger woman. "I care so much my insides feel like they are burning. For the first time in my life, Serenity, I want to kill someone. But there is no one truly responsible for all of this, so I can't. And the only thing that's stopping me is my control."

Her face softened somewhat, and she reached out to trace the red mark on Serenity's cheek with gentle fingers. She was relieved when her daughter didn't flinch. She would never have forgiven herself if Serenity grew scared of her because of one single slip of control. She vowed never to do something like that again.

"We have to stay in control of ourselves and our situation," she whispered and felt a lump form in her throat. "And we can't give up. Not on Joey. He's always stayed strong for you, my darling. Isn't it your turn?"

Finally, her words seemed to touch the right part of Serenity. The girl's body went lax, and the tears welled up once more. The next thing Adhara knew, she was cradling her daughter like she had when her children were small.

"I'm sorry, mom!" Serenity sobbed into her shoulder. "I don't know… I'm so sorry… I promise to never…"

"Sshh," Adhara soothed silently. "Don't make promises you won't be able to keep. Just let me hold my baby-girl for a moment. Then we'll talk and take care of everything together."

She turned her head a little to look at the two young men who stood waiting at the door. Adhara smiled faintly at them to show that things were under control now, but then she frowned as she noticed Tristan's right cheek. A big bruise was starting to form, and she could see it was swollen.

"What happened to your face?" she asked softly, and kept rocking Serenity back and forth.

Tristan's hand immediately covered the bruise, and he looked a little embarrassed.

"Yeah… Serenity kinda… uh… hit me with her bedside lamp." Adhara and Duke stared. Tristan flushed lightly. "She was upset." He mumbled.

Adhara frowned. That was another thing she would have to talk to her daughter about, but first things first.

"Duke, take Tristan to the kitchen and put something cold on the bruise. I'll take care of everything from here."

Duke nodded and gripped Tristan's arm lightly, to lead him away from the room. With one last concerned look at his queen and childhood-crush, Tristan followed. Adhara watched them disappear, then she turned back to her child and cradled the girl tighter. As she continued to rock her back and forth slowly, her gaze wandered to the only painting left on the walls. The two blond, handsome men that had been her world grinned back down at her with identical twinkling eyes. Adhara felt the lump in her throat grow another size.

"I miss you," she whispered softly to the painting, then buried her face in the daughter's hair and let her own tears flow.

In the kitchen, Duke wrapped a few ice cubes in a towel and gently pressed it to Tristan's face. The brunette hissed softly as the cold connected with his swollen skin, but then relaxed and leaned back in the chair. A few servants were scurrying around and had offered to take care of the knight, but Duke had insisted on doing this himself.

Tristan didn't mind.

"How long will I have to keep this pressed to my cheek?" He asked.

"An hour at least," Duke answered.

"I will look ridiculous," Tristan grumbled.

"Stop whining," Duke scolded him softly. "It's only an hour. I'm surprised she even managed to hit you. After all those martial arts lessons you and Joey took, I expected you to at least be able to dodge."

"Yeah, 'cause self-defence is usually the closest thing to my mind while consoling my best friend's baby sister." Tristan muttered. "I wasn't expecting her to get violent, but for someone so small, she sure hits hard."

"Serenity as always scary when she was mad," Duke chuckled. "Even Joey was scared of her sometimes. She pretended to be all nice and sweet, but then 'BAM' she attacked with teeth and fists."

"Yeah, I remember that," Tristan stated dreamily. "I remember she gave me a black eye once, when I called you a sassy sissy… I didn't even know what it meant."

"Neither did I, but that didn't stop me from kicking your ass."

"As if! I kicked your ass a dozen more times than you kicked mine! You were always the weakest physically."

Duke put his nose in the air and snorted.

"There is nothing wrong with a slim body."

"I didn't say that," Tristan answered with a sly smile and let his eyes trail over the other boy's legs, stomach, chest and up to his face.

Duke punched his arm lightly, and they both laughed.

They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, then Tristan looked up at the other boy again.

"You know…" he stated softly. "This is the first time we're in the same room without fighting since you came here for Joey's birthday."

Duke blinked in surprise. He had never thought about it that way, but now that Tristan mentioned it, he realized the brunette was right. It felt… really, really nice.

"Almost takes you back to before, huh?" He answered and smiled.

"Nah," Tristan said and leaned forward slightly in his chair. "Back then we fought too. This… this is so much better."

Duke looked at him, and could only agree. And as Tristan's hand covered his own over the bruised cheek and the other boy inched his way closer, Duke's pulse sped up and his face grew warm. Tristan was so goddamned handsome. Sure, Joey had inherited the beauty of his father and had a lot of admirers, but he wasn't as tall as Tristan. He didn't have Tristan's broad shoulders… his big, warm hands… his sharp jaw line… his deep, strong eyes…

His lips…

So… close…

"Duke…" Tristan murmured and let his breath ghost over the other boys face. Duke closed his eyes and leaned in, his body going lax and his fingers losing their grip on the towel with the ice cubes. It slipped from his fingers, and with a wet '_splat_'…

…it landed in Tristan's lap.

With a starlet yelp Tristan jumped up and quickly brushed the wet, ice-cold towel away from his privates. Duke stared up at him for a second, and then he realized what had happened.

"Shit, Tris, I'm so sorry!" He cursed and stood up as well to get a new, dry towel. "I slipped… it… I'm sorry!"

"You know," Tristan said with a laugh and grinned at him. "I've had people rejecting me before, but never quite like that. A 'no' would have done just fine."

Duke blushed and looked at his feet.

"I wasn't… I didn't… you got it all wr-"

"Lord Duke?" A maid stuck her head into the kitchen, and nodded politely at the two men. "There is a messenger waiting for you in the great hall. It's urgent."

Duke looked from her to Tristan and back again, and opened his mouth to tell her to go away and leave them alone. But Tristan sat down again and took the towel from him. The moment seemed to be completely gone.

"Go," Tristan advised. "It might have something to do with Joey. I can take care of this myself."

"But I-"

"The messenger was very clear: he will not wait," the maid interrupted with an apologizing look at the young count.

Duke looked from her to his secret love once more, and then sighed heavily.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he assured Tristan and walked over to the door.

"Don't bother," Tristan answered without taking his eyes of the wet, cold spot at his crotch. "I'm almost done here anyway."

Hurt flashed briefly over Duke's face, but then he turned and walked out the door.

As soon as his footsteps had died away, Tristan punched the kitchen table so hard the knives on it rattled. He sighed in frustration.

"Damnit," he mumbled. "Joey, wherever you are, I hope you're doing better than me."

* * *

It took Joey 2.8 seconds to get to his feet and pull his sword from its sheath. The creature still didn't move, even though Joey had taken a fighting stance and had the tip of his weapon pointing at it. It almost looked surprised, as if it hadn't been expecting to see him. 

"What are you and what have you done to Ryou and Yugi?" Joey snarled furiously. He had only known the two younger boys for a week, but during that time he'd come to like them a lot, and he'd do anything he could to help them. At the moment, their safety was the only thing on his mind.

The creature blinked out of its stupor and took a step backwards. Its wary eyes were fixed on the sword.

"Are you the master of this home?" It asked with a low growling voice, not so different from Bakura's.

"Answer the question!" Joey shot back furiously. "Where are Yugi and Ryou? If you've hurt them-"

"I need to see the master," the creature interrupted him impatiently. "And I will go through you if I have to."

"Tell me what you have done to my friends, and I will consider it."

"I haven't done anything!" The creature snarled. "But my clan has. If you don't let me pass they will make sure something terrible happens to you friends."

"Asshole!" Joey snarled. "Tell me where they are!"

"I don't have time for this!" His opponent barked, and lunged towards the blond with barred teeth. Joey had been prepared for the attack and made an agile dodge, slipping to the left and kicking him in the side. But the creature didn't fall for his trick; instead he grabbed his leg, and literally threw the blond into the wall.

Joey made a somersault in the air and landed with his feet against the wall. Fast as lightning he pushed back and threw himself into another attack, which the creature stopped with his long, claw-like nails.

They were quite evenly matched, Joey noticed. He had no trouble avoiding or stopping any of the attacks directed at him, but in return, the creature didn't leave any weak links in its own defence. Every kick, hit or tackle Joey aimed at him he blocked, and the sword didn't hit its target even once. Joey realized this could take a while, and sighed in frustration. Every moment he wasted at this fight was precious time for Yugi and Ryou.

As the creature took a step back to avoid another one of Joey's attacks, a huge dragon-paw shot out from the shadows and grabbed it around its neck, lifting him at least two meters of the ground. Joey watched as Seto stepped out of the shadows, and he wondered silently how such a large body could move so silently. At the same time he gave a relieved sigh; he hadn't wasted as much time as he had first feared.

"Werewolf," Seto growled with eyes that were burning with rage. "I'm going to assume that you are not stupid enough to come to my home just too pick a fight with a human. Instead, I'll ask for your real reason to be here. As flattered as I am by your visit, I want you to tell me why the hell you are wearing those necklaces. Talk fast, before my fingers twitch and I accidentally break your neck."

The creature, that Joey now knew was a werewolf, wiggled violently in Seto's grasp, gasping for air. Joey almost though Seto was holding too tight for him to breath, but then he gasped faintly:

"My name… Marik… Came to warn… the boys… must save…"

After that he didn't look like he could get anymore out, and Seto slowly, almost unwillingly, let go of his neck and watched him tumble to the ground. He let the werewolf recover for a few seconds, then, as his breathing began to even out, he continued his questioning.

"Tell me where they are, or I'll turn you into a pile of ash!" Joey and Marik both winched at the harsh tone, and Joey almost felt sorry for the werewolf.

Marik coughed one last time and got up on trembling legs. He met Seto's cold gaze without blinking.

"My name is Marik, and I belong to the werewolf clan that lives in the caves outside the forest," he growled. "I was out hunting with my brothers when we came across two boys practicing magic. My three brothers overpowered them and kidnapped them. They are being brought to our home as we speak."

"Ryou and Yugi were supposed to practice levitation-magic today," Seto mumbled. "I told them to do it in the forest, since I didn't want to have things flying around everywhere in here. Yami and Bakura stayed behind to discuss something important with me."

"They were completely unprotected," Joey muttered. "Easy prey."

"Before my brothers overpowered them, they said that we would anger great powers in the hollow mountain if we harmed them," Marik continued. "I figured I had to come here if I wanted to find help." He grabbed the two necklaces and pulled them over his head. "They dropped these. I hope someone here can take care of them."

"Hm," Seto seemed to think things over for a moment, and then turned to Joey. "Human, go find Mokuba and Isis; they need to know about this. And if you see Yami and Bakura, get them too. This is very serious."

Joey was about to protest; there were still a lot of things he wanted to know that the werewolf hadn't told them; like why he was even telling them this, but something in Seto's deep blue eyes made him close his mouth, nod and turn around to leave. He could hear the dragon and the werewolf speak to each other as he walked away.

Mokuba and Isis weren't hard to find; they were lying around in one of the libraries, Mokuba lying on a bed of cushions with a book in front of him, and Isis sitting in a chair with another book in her lap. After a quick explanation, they both quickly followed him back.

Yami and Bakura had already joined Seto when they came back, and could confirm what Marik had told them: Yugi and Ryou had disappeared, and the connection the two magical animals had with them was broken. Yami looked almost wild with anger and impatience, and Bakura looked like he wanted to rip out Marik's throat. They were carrying Yugi's and Ryou's necklaces now and Joey realized that if he was worried, they must be ready to kill someone. Seto, however, looked calm as a cucumber, and were giving orders that even Bakura seemed to be listening to.

"This is what we'll do," Seto told them as soon as everyone had been completely informed of the situation. "Mokuba and Isis, you stay here and watch the cave. Yami, Bakura and I will go with Marik to save Ryou and Yugi at the werewolf-cave. But first we will make a quick stop at the village."

Bakura opened his mouth to protest that they didn't have time for quick stops, but Seto silenced him with a cold stare.

"Yugi's grandfather has the right to know. And if the boys are hurt, we will probably need some herbs and potions to help them. Mai'll help us with that."

Bakura didn't look happy, but didn't object either, which everyone took as a good sign. He snorted in irritation, and the next thing Joey knew, he had changed into his alternative form. Even though Yami had shown how he could change on Joey's first day, the blond had never seen what the white wolf could do. Therefore he only gaped at the creature that stood before him now.

Bakura had grown at least three sizes, and his body had changed into a more human shape. He now stood on two legs, and the front paws had changed into bulky human hands with long claws. The face still had the shape of a wolf, his skin was still covered in white fur, and the eyes were the same, but a thick mane of silver hair had grown on his head and fell down his humanlike shoulders. He must be at least two and a half metres tall. Joey had never seen a completely transformed werewolf, but he guessed they'd look something like that. By the surprised look on Marik's face, he guessed that was about right.

"Let's go," Bakura growled. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can get my Ryou back."

And then he disappeared down the corridor towards the exit at a speed so fast Joey almost didn't see him. Yami changed shape as well and followed him with a swoop of large black wings.

"Shall we?" Seto asked with a sardonic smile at Marik, and then turned to leave as well.

It was about now that Joey realized he hadn't been included in the plans.

"Hey!" he called and followed Seto at a sprint. "What about me? You didn't tell me what I would do!"

"You, human," Seto told him without turning around, "will stay here like a good little pet and keep yourself out of trouble."

"I wanna help!" Joey protested as he ran sideways beside Seto. "Yugi and Ryou are my friends as well! Let me help you get them back!"

"And give you a perfectly good chance to escape?" Seto laughed. "I don't think so. Besides, I don't need a tagalong such as you."

"I can fight!" Joey told him heatedly. They had almost reached the exit now, and Joey was starting to fear that Seto really _would _leave him behind. "I've been trained in martial arts since I was a kid! I can take care of myself! And if you think that I'll turn tail and run when two friends need me, you might as well spit me in the face! Nothing's more important than friends!"

"Forget it."

"Damnit, dragon! I can fight!"

"He can," Marik said silently from Seto's other side. "I'm the best fighter in the family, and he's my equal. We will need all the help we can get if we want to get your boys."

Joey was surprised the werewolf stood up for him, but didn't have time to think about it as Seto stopped in his tracks for a moment, shot Marik a look, and then turned to stare at Joey. It might annoy him, but Joey couldn't help but shiver under the sharp, cold eyes. It was no wonder people did what Seto told them to do, with those eyes. But he wasn't going to give up on this. He'd latch on to Seto's tail if he had to!

"Fine," Seto said at last. "But if you try to escape, I will hunt you down and punish you severely. And don't think I won't find you."

"Are we going to stand here and talk all day?" Joey snapped back.

Seto made a sound that might have been a cross between a sigh and a growl, and then, before Joey could stop him, swooped out and lifted him from the ground in one powerful paw. When Joey gave a starlet 'eep' and glared at him, he simply smirked.

Yami and Bakura had already roused the villagers' attention and were waiting impatiently as they arrived. Joey had never been to the village before, and despite the situation, he couldn't help but look around. It was nowhere near as big as Domino, but he could still see a lot of people scurrying around. The houses were nothing more than wooden cottages built in a circle around a huge outdoor-fire. There was a small lake a few hundred metres from the village that tinkled in the sun. All in all, Joey's first impression was nice.

There was a short old man and a beautiful young woman standing beside Yami as Seto landed on the meadow between the village and the lake. The old man's hair was grey, but the big eyes and the strangely shaped fringe gave Joey a hint as to who this might be. Yugi looked a lot like his grandfather.

"Yami had told me what's going on," his old voice was calm, but Joey could see that his face was scrunched up in worry. "I would come with you if my old legs had allowed it. Those damn beasts will pay for this!"

"We plan on making them pay," Bakura muttered. "But some people seem to have a problem with moving their asses." He shot Seto a disgruntled look.

"Yes, yes," The old man, Solomon, said. "You must leave immediately. Mai's already made the healing potions ready. Pray to the gods that you won't have to use them."

He made a gesture to the young woman beside him. She was tall and beautiful, with thick, blonde hair and a curvaceous body. She held a bag made from animal skin in her hands, and now she stepped towards Seto, who still held Joey in a tight grip. As her gaze met Joey's, he could see the deep violet irises. She smiled at him.

"You must be Joey," her voice was soft and melodious. Joey knew that if he had been interested in women, she would have made his knees buckle. "Yugi and Ryou have told us about you. I am Mai, the village healer. I guess I'll give you these," she handed him the bag and winked. "Since you're the only one without claws."

"You're a terrible tease, even in a situation as grave as this," Seto growled at her and spread his wings to take flight again. "Keep your hands of my prisoner, witch."

"And you're as dry as always, Seto," Mai shot back. Then she smiled once more at Joey. "Good luck."

Joey didn't have time to do more than give her a faint smile, because with a low growl Seto had taken flight once more. He still clutched Joey in one claw, and Joey in turn clutched the bag with potions in his own hands. He realized it might become important if the worst thing possible had occurred.

The flight to Marik's home was short and uneventful. Even though the caves were at the edge of the giant forest and the mountain practically in the middle of it, Seto was flying as fast as he could, and took them there in only twenty minutes. If he turned his head, Joey could see Yami flying a few metres behind them, and if he squinted at the forest below, he could see Bakura and Marik running at top speed through it. Above them, the sun hung like a huge golden orb.

The caves were nothing like the ones in the mountain. They were nothing more than a few large openings that led down black tunnels into the underground. Seto and Yami landed a few hundred metres away from them, and together all of them sneaked closer.

"We'll split," Seto said determinedly. "Marik, go with Yami and Bakura. There is a greater chance of them finding Yugi and Ryou than any of us. Try to keep yourselves out of trouble, but if you are discovered, I count on you to defend yourselves. Human…" he turned to glare at Joey, who glared right back at him. "You're coming with me. I'm not letting you out of my sight even for a second."

Joey bit back on a snarky comment that was making its way up his throat, and instead turned and walked towards one of the openings. He didn't even care if Seto was following him.

"Most of the clan is probably sleeping," Marik told them all. "But we still keep guards around. Stay as quiet as you can, and watch out for them. Oh, and watch where you step. The floor can be very weak at a few places."

"Good luck," Joey told the others with a smile. He rested one of his hands against the handle of his sword, and felt confidence spread through his body. He was a competent fighter, and knew he could defend himself. "If I see Yug' and Ryou, I'll tell them you said 'hi.'"

The caves were dark and cold, and Joey almost though they were too small for Seto's large body. But the dragon simply folded his wings close to his body, lowered his head and slipped inside with so much grace he didn't even touch the walls. No matter how much of an ass he was, Joey had to admit that he was skilled. In everything, it seemed.

The only light-sources were the small holes in the roof, through which sunbeams leaked into the cave. Joey had to concentrate hard on the ground so that he wouldn't stumble or fall. He walked beside Seto, and there was actually pretty much space, despite the dragon.

Twenty, thirty, forty minutes went by, and there were fewer and fewer light holes in the roof, the deeper they went. Joey could also feel the temperature drop a little, and the air felt damper. He shivered, and swore he heard the sound of running water somewhere inside the wall to his left. Seto walked stoic and silent beside him, but as the darkness grew around them, Joey found the silence growing uncomfortable. He cleared his throat silently.

"Not the most pleasurable place in the world, is it?" he asked softly.

"I must say I prefer my own cave," Seto answered, and Joey realized with humour that this was the first time they agreed on something.

"What is it with evil creatures and deep, dark places?" he asked, half as a joke. "Bad taste in decoration comes with the whole 'evil bastard'-kit? A few torches wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Maybe they are all so ugly they have to stay in darkness so they won't have to look at each other," Seto suggested, and Joey snorted with laughter. "Or maybe it's just a werewolf thing of some kind."

"Speaking of werewolf-things," Joey said and hesitated for a moment. Half of him didn't want to bring this up, but if he was going to face monsters and possible death, he wanted to know that he was on the right track. "Are you sure we can trust Marik? Doesn't it seem a tad bit suspicious that he's betraying his whole clan to save two boys that he doesn't even know?"

"I thought so too," Seto said quietly. "Apparently, his clan is one of the less pleasant werewolf clans out there. According to him, they hunt and kill even in human form. He says his family has been eaten from within by the wolves, and he doesn't know them anymore. He wants out, before he becomes one of them."

"Is that really a good enough reason?"

"Everyone has a limit to how much innocent blood they can spill before they have had enough. And Marik's clan had spilt _a lot _of blood. Besides, if his clan didn't take Yugi and Ryou, who else did?"

Joey thought that over for a moment, and realized that Seto probably was right. He held his hand out in front of him; he couldn't see it anymore. The darkness seemed to grow thicker for every minute that went by, but Joey found it wasn't at all uncomfortable. Even if it was a grave subject, talking had helped him relax, and maybe it had helped Seto too.

Eager to keep the conversation going, he asked:

"Why did they take Yugi and Ryou anyway? They've never done them anything."

There was a short pause, then Seto answered darkly:

"They need them for breeding."

Joey stopped dead in his tracks.

"For_ WHAT_?!"

Seto sighed.

"Werewolves can't give birth to children of their own; the many transformations would harm the cubs. So they must use… _other_ creatures to breed."

"That's just sick!"

"Yes, it is."

"But Yugi and Ryou are both boys!" Joey paused. "…Unless there's something they haven't told me about?"

"They _are_ boys!" Seto sounded irritated now. "But there is magic the werewolves can use to fix that problem."

"There is?" Joey asked.

This was all so weird. He was discussing male pregnancies with a dragon, while looking for two kidnapped friends in a dark, damp cave.

"Of course," Seto answered. "Dragons used such magic for thousands of years, since male-male relationships were very common. But it's dark magic, which can only be used during the night. So we need to save Yugi and Ryou fast!"

Joey felt interest stir inside him. He walked a bit faster so that he was walking by Seto's head.

"Male-male relationships, you say? How common? Did you know any gay dragons? How does that magic work?"

"They were _very_ common. I had an uncle who…"

Seto fell silent, and the barely audible clink of his claws against the floor disappeared as he stopped walking. On instinct, Joey did as well.

"What?" He asked. "You hear something?"

"What is that?" Seto mumbled, and now Joey heard it too. It was a crunching sound, like stone cracking. In the darkness, Joey couldn't make out from where it came, but it sounded very, very close to them.

"It almost sounds like something's breaki-IIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!!!!" Joey's statement ended in a loud shriek as the stone floor beneath his feet gave way, and he tumbled down a deep hole in the ground. He could hear Seto screaming his name, but the voice soon disappeared as he fell deeper, and dirt and pebbles tumbled down with him.

Joey fell and fell, and after an eternity the tunnel ended, and Joey landed in something he realized must be an underground pond. The water was so cold it felt like thousands of needles were penetrating his skin, and for the few seconds his head was underwater, he thought he was going to drown.

Then his instincts kicked in, and he swam to the surface. He reached it with only three kicks of his legs, and greedily gulped in air as he flailed around with his hands for something to help him get out of the cold water. There was an edge to the pond right beside him, and he quickly heaved himself onto it. There, Joey sat completely still for a few minutes, coughing and shivering in the cold.

When he had recovered somewhat from the shock, he looked around. Not that he could see anything; it was as dark here as it had been in the cave above, and even colder. He didn't even know it he was stuck in a small space, or just another tunnel.

"Seto!" he called, hoping the dragon could hear him. But his only answer was the echoes of his own voice. "_SETO_!"

Still no answer.

Well, this was just great, Joey though and punched the ground below in frustration. He was lost, alone, and drenched to the bone. He couldn't see, didn't know if he was stuck, and all hope of finding and helping Yugi and Ryou seemed to be gone.

_Don't think like that_, he told himself. _Focus! First of all, you'll have to try and find a way out of here. Then you can worry about the rest._

Ignoring his shaking body, Joey rose from the floor and took a few steps forward. The floor was smooth beneath his feet, and he didn't hit a wall.

A good sign.

It took him at least half an hour, but after a lot of stumbling around like a blind man, Joey found a tunnel that lead somewhere. He didn't even hesitate to follow it; he just wanted to get out of the cold cave and away from the pond.

The tunnel was a lot narrower than the one he and Seto had been walking through- he could touch both walls at the same time, and Joey noticed it tilted a bit upwards. He hoped that meant what he thought it meant.

After at least an hour of walking blindly in the dark, he was rewarded with the sight a hole in the roof. The afternoon sun was tinkling in through it, and Joey had to blink in the unexpected light. But the hole had given him new hope, and he walked onwards with new determination.

Thirty minutes later Joey spotted the opening. The sight of golden light at the end of the dark tunnel made his heart leap, and he ran to it. Took in the beautiful sight if the thick forest before him. Never had the sun and the trees looked more beautiful. The light warmed his body and made his clothes dry up a little bit. It felt heavenly. For the first time in a week he didn't feel like a prisoner.

That's when it hit him.

Seto and the others were still inside the cave.

Probably would be for hours.

If he ran now… if he left them and went home, he could get a great head start. Maybe even far enough to get home before the dragon found him. The possibility made his head spin. He might make it. He might make it home to his mother, and grandfather, and Serenity, and Duke and Tristan. He just might _make it_.

Excitement made Joey take a few steps out of the tunnel.

A few steps closer to home.

A few steps closer to freedom.

And then a terrified, pleading scream ripped through the air and made him jump.

He spun around and stared at the opening from which the sound had come. It came from the opening right next to the one Joey had come out of. The scream had been desperate and frightened. Joey had never thought one could hear so much feeling in a simple scream.

And he had recognized Ryou's voice.

Fear and worry for his friend tore at Joey's heart, and he turned and ran towards the opening without a second thought.

Then his brain caught up with him and he stopped dead.

Glancing over his shoulder, he took another look at the forest… the golden sun… the blue sky…. His family's faces flashed before his eyes, mixed with pictures from his terrible dream. He thought back on his week of misery, worry and failed escape-attempts. On Seto's superior smile…

"What the hell am I thinking?!" Joey snarled. He gave himself a mental shake, then turned and ran.

Straight into the dark tunnel.

**I hope this nice and long chapter will make up for all the time you people have had to wait. I _would _have updated a few days ago, but for some reason the submission didn't work. (Hate when that happens!) I'm sorry it took so long, even though I promised it wouldn't! Apparently I wasn't as out of my writer's block as I thought. But things are finally heating up! YAY! **

**THANK YOU, REVIEWERS! I've read all my reviews at least six times while writing this, and they are the only thing that's given me inspiration! If it hadn't been for you and your beautiful comments, I would have given up and thrown this motherfer away at chap. 4! **

**LOVE YOU ALL! YOU GET THAT?! GOOD!!! **

**So yeah, you know what to do! **

**R&R!!! **


	7. To run and to fight

Chapter six: To run and to fight

Ryou and Yugi had been easy prey for the werewolves; two young boys alone in the forest were unusual, and they should have known better than to go that far without Yami or Bakura. Contrary to what they had thought, it hadn't mattered that they had magical powers; Yugi had been completely focused on making that stupid boulder fly, and Ryou had been watching him intently. Before any of them knew what was happening, they had been grabbed from behind, wrestled to the ground, and their hands and feet had been bound with thick rope.

Threats and warnings had fallen to deaf ears, and the puzzle and the ring had been ripped from their necks and thrown aside carelessly before they had time to contact Yami and Bakura. All Yugi could hope for was that someone would find and take care of the necklaces.

He could admit without shame that he had never been so scared before in his whole life. Yami and Bakura didn't know where they were- _no one did!_- and now their kidnappers had taken them to their very home, where there, no doubt, lived _even more _werewolves!

Undoubtedly, the situation looked really bad.

_At least one of them has __left_; Yugi thought and looked up at the two remaining beasts from his place on the stone floor. When they had arrived at the caves, one of the werewolves had slipped away to inform the pack of their catch. But two of them were more than enough; Yugi and Ryou were left in a smaller cave with a pair of monsters watching them intently. And unlike Joey, both Yugi and Ryou knew what werewolves did with kidnapped victims.

If Marik had looked scary, these two looked absolutely terrifying. Unlike him, they barely had an ounce of human left in them. The tallest had brown hair on not only his head, but on his arms, legs, chest, back… everywhere. Thick, dark hair that looked like fur, and the face was almost completely hidden behind a thick beard. The eyes were shifty and yellow, with small pupils; wolf eyes. He sat crouched on the ground, which only made him look even more like a dangerous animal.

His companion resembled him a lot; just as bulky and tall, but with long, black hair, and no beard, only stub on his chin and cheeks. He was leaning against the wall beside his companion, which made him look slightly less intimidating. His clothes looked like rags, but were in a better shape than his comrade's. The eyes were grey.

They were both watching Yugi and Ryou with hunger and anticipation.

Yugi shivered. He knew what was going to happen, but he didn't know _how_. Were these monsters actually going to rape them? Or did they use the dark magic to impregnate them in some other way? Would it hurt? Who was going to go first? Were they going to share the boys with the rest of the pack, or were they following the 'finder's keepers' rule? He felt sick just thinking about it. If only Yami had been here…

"What are you going to do with us?" Ryou asked suddenly. His voice was trembling badly, but at least it didn't break.

Yugi whished his friend hadn't asked when an evil grin spread across the werewolves' faces.

"My dear boy," the black one purred and folded his arms over his chest. "Obviously you're familiar with magic, surely you must know already."

Ryou and Yugi flinched and pressed themselves to the cave wall. A vain attempt at getting away, but it was the only thing they could do with restrains around their hands and feet.

"Perhaps they know about the end result, but not how the… _act itself _will be carried out." The brown one leered at them through the beard. "They _are _young… and living in a small village like that… isolated… they must be very innocent."

"You mean they might be… they're…" The black looked down at his companion for a moment, then turned back and looked at them again. Yugi definitely didn't like that grin. "_Oooooh_, so that's what you were asking about, little one."

Yugi felt like throwing up. Yami had often called him 'Little one' in the past. Now, on this monster's lips, it sounded so _wrong_!

"Well, in that case…" The werewolf pushed himself away from the wall and took a few steps closer. Yugi and Ryou inched their way backwards. "Perhaps we should give you a little… _education_."

Yugi felt cold sweat break out all over his body. He didn't want this! Oh god, what were they going to do? There had to be some way for them to escape! Was there something he had overlooked?

With his hands restraint, Yugi couldn't use magic, and he didn't know how to use it with only his voice yet. Yami had told him that that was way too complicated for them to try yet. He was too weak to fight the monsters physically, and running away was out of the question. Their feet were bound together, and even if they weren't, Yugi and Ryou would only hade gotten lost in the tunnels, and/or caught again.

The werewolf sat right on front of them now. He met Ryou's frightened gaze and grinned even wider.

"You are so pretty," he growled softly and reached out to trace Ryou's cheek with a claw. "Pale and silver haired… like the moon. Yes… yes, just like the moon."

Yugi could see sweat run down Ryou's temple, and his whole body was trembling with fear. Yugi was so scared he couldn't utter a word.

"L-l-let us go," Ryou whispered shakily. "P-Please, let us go."

The Black looked like he hadn't heard him. With another toothy grin, his hand slipped from Ryou's cheek to the back of his head. With one hand fisted in thick, silver hair, he pulled Ryou forward and crushed their lips together violently.

Ryou shrieked and tried to pull away, but was held in place. He tried to turn his head to the side, but the hand in his hair tightened even more, and he whimpered in pain. In front of Yugi's shocked and frightened eyes, his best friend was pinned to the ground, and completely molested. He could see a small trickle of blood slip from Ryou's mouth and run down his chin, no doubt from the werewolf's sharp teeth.

His muffled screams were what finally snapped Yugi out of his shock.

"Stop!" he cried and tried unsuccessfully to loosen the ropes around his wrists. "Stop it! Let Ryou go! Please let him go! Take me instead! Do what you want, but let him be! _Please!_"

He tried to aim a kick at the monster, but he only caught his foot and twisted it violently to the side. Yugi yelped in pain and pulled back again.

"In time I'll take care of you too, love," the werewolf panted as he broke away from Ryou's lips for a moment. He shot a glace at Yugi, and winked seductively. "Don't feel left out. I can make you feel _sooo_ good. You'll see."

Then he once again bent down to ravish Ryou's mouth. Even if the pale boy tried to press his lips together, the werewolf simply parted them with sharp teeth and a ruthless tongue. Yugi wanted to pick up a stone and throw it at his head, wanted to inflict as much pain on this creature as it was inflicting on Ryou, but the ropes were tight around his wrists. All he could do was cry, and beg for it to let Ryou go. He felt so useless!

The Black straddled Ryou's hips and broke the forceful kiss. He leered down at the young boy and licked away Ryou's blood, which was smeared over his own lips. He looked like a rabid dog, and finally Yugi understood that nothing he said could make it stop.

"Beautiful," it murmured. "So unbelievably beautiful. Let's have some fun." And then it started tearing at Ryou's clothes just as violently as it had kissed him.

Ryou squirmed even more, but as the werewolf ripped his shirt open and caressed his pale chest with cold hands, it was as if something snapped inside him. He threw his head back and gave a desperate, heart-splitting scream. It echoed all over the cave walls and disappeared down the tunnels, but no answer was heard. No one came to their rescue. Hell, the only ones Yugi _wanted_ to show up were probably miles away, unaware of the terrible fate awaiting the two boys. Not even Ryou's desperate cry could reach them.

Once it had faded away, the black removed his fingers from his ears and grinned again, seemingly unaffected.

"Big lungs," he stated casually. "That's good. Although I'll have to find a better way for you to use that voice." And then he bent down to nibble at Ryou's throat.

Ryou was crying now. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head back and forth, as if he was trying to deny that this was happening. He whimpered and cried out in pain and fear, repeating Bakura's name over and over again like a mantra. Yugi was in a similar situation. He didn't want to see this, but was unable to look away, even as his vision became hazy because of all the tears. He wanted Yami! He wanted to have the big hawk close, wanted to snuggle into his soft fathers and know that he was completely safe. He wanted to laugh with Ryou, Mokuba and Joey, and have Bakura scold him during magic lessons. He didn't want to lie bound in a cave, watching his best friend get raped, knowing he was next!

And then, as if through a miracle, the other werewolf, the brown one, grabbed his companion by the back of his neck and hurled him across the cave. Yugi blinked in shock a relief, and curled up as close as he could to Ryou, whom was still lying on the floor with tears running down his face.

"Stop it," the brown growled. "None of them is to be touched until Leader has made his choice."

"Aww, come on!" Black moaned and got up from the floor. "I'm not gonna impregnate him, I'll just… _warm him up_ for the chief."

"Leader does not appreciate damaged goods," Brown sneered and crouched a little, as if ready to fight.

"Lapdog!" His companion snarled and glared heatedly. "I haven't had a hot piece of ass like that in ages! If you wanna be a bitch about it, we can split!"

"You are not to touch them!" Brown growled and took a threatening step closer, yellow eyes flashing. "Leader will choose one, and then the rest of us will fight over the second. You know the rules!

"I want my fun now!" Black growled. "I know I can take you down, so do us both a favour and piss off! Leader can say what the hell he wants, but it's my turn now! I'm not afraid of him, and I'm not a suck up, like you!"

With a deep growl, Brown threw himself forward in an attack. Black snarled and met him halfway.

In front of Yugi's and Ryou's shocked eyes, the two werewolves collided like true animals. They clawed, bit and wrestled like wolves in fight; clawing at each others eyes and trying to rip each others throats out. Pinning each other to the floor, and throwing each other into walls with so much force it was a miracle their backs didn't break. In less than a minute their clothes had been even more ripped apart, large wounds and deep gashes adorned their bodied and bled violently.

The brown managed to bite Black in the leg, and Black howled and gave back by leaving long, deep claw marks right across Brown's face. They snarled and growled and yelped like real wolves, and as they stopped in the middle of an attack for a second, Yugi could have sworn their faces had morphed into those of real wolves. But then they started moving again, and he couldn't tell if he had seen right or not.

Scared out of his mind, Yugi pressed himself close to Ryou, whom had managed to sit up. Together they watched the fight with wide eyes and trembling bodies. Now would have been a good time to run, but their feet was still bound, and they were both so afraid their legs probably wouldn't have carried them. And who knew what the winner in this fight would do. Maybe he would be so lost in the wolf-part of his mind that he would hurt them too.

And then suddenly, Yugi heard a noise from one of the tunnels next to him. It sounded like stones rolling across the floor.

Apparently, the werewolves heard it too, because they stopped dead and stood unmoving for a moment. Black had Brown in a headlock, and Brown had one hand fisted in his opponent's long hair, but now they both turned and looked at the tunnel. The light in the cave was very weak, and the opening looked like a big, black hole. It was impossible to see what had caused the sound.

They let go of each other in unison, and exchanged a look. Then Brown slowly snuck closer to the opening. Yugi and Ryou watched wide-eyed, unable to move or talk. The complete silence was deafening after the loud, violent fight that had taken place mere seconds earlier.

"Who's there?" Brown called warily into the tunnel. He took a few steps closer, his knees bent and body tense, ready to lunge forward or jump back at any moment. "Come out, come out, whoever you are."

A choked sound for Black made Ryou, Yugi and the brown werewolf turn around, and Yugi almost screamed at the sight that met him.

Joey stood behind the black werewolf with one hand covering his mouth to muffle his screams. In the other hand he held his short sword. Black's eyes were wide and surprised, and blood was pouring from his throat where Joey had slit it open. Calmly the blond let go of him and took a step back. Black fell to his knees, and then toppled over forward. His head connected with the floor with a sickening '_thunk_', and then he lay unmoving.

Dead.

Brown stared at the body of his companion for a moment, then he seemed to snap back to himself. He raised his eyes and looked at Joey with hate and fury burning in them.

"You'll pay for that!" He roared and grouched down, steadying himself for an attack. "I'll make y-"

But what he was going to make Joey think, or do, or say, they would never know. His voice was cut off in a hoarse gurgling as the blade of Joey's sword flew straight through his throat and neck, cutting the vocal cords. Joey didn't even blink, just regarded him silently from the other side of the cave as the werewolf stumbled backwards and fell to the ground, his body twitching as the life left him. He desperately clutched at his throat to stop the blood from pouring out, but it was all in vain. Within the span of twenty seconds his gurgling stopped and his body stilled.

For a moment, everything was completely still and silent. Then Joey quickly crossed the floor, crouched down beside the body and pulled his sword, which obviously worked great as a throwing-knife as well, out of it. He wiped the bloody blade on the sleeve of the werewolf's shirt.

"That's what you get when you mess with my friends," he hissed hatefully as his stood up, and kicked the body for good measures. Then, at last, he turned to Ryou and Yugi with concern shining in his eyes.

"Hey," he said softly and sat down beside his friends. "Are you guys okay?"

The two boys sat completely still for a moment, and stared at him in shock and fear. Even their trembling had stopped as they looked at him. Joey wrinkled his eyebrows in worry and reached out to touch Ryou's cheek. He had seen what the werewolf had tried to do to him; it was the reason he hadn't thought twice about killing them. Fortunately the other werewolf had pulled him of before Joey had had the chance to do something really stupid, like rushing out of the shadows without some sort of plan.

As it was, he had managed to avert their attention to something else (namely the stone he had thrown into the other tunnel, to make them think he was in that one instead of the one behind them) and take them out fast and quietly.

But maybe he had been too late. The way Ryou stared at him now, with eyes like two empty holes… had they done something to him before Joey showed up? Had they hurt him in some other way?

"Ryou?" Joey whispered. "It's okay. It's over. Nobody will hurt you. I'll make sure of that."

His fingers touched the soft, pale cheek, and it was as if some sort of spell was broken. Ryou blinked once, then threw himself into Joey's arms, pressed his face to the blonde's chest, and sobbed violently.

"Thank you…" he managed to stutter while the tears fell down his cheeks. "If you hadn't shown up… thank you so much, Joey… I…I…"

"Ssshhh," Joey cooed and wrapped his arms around Ryou. "It's over. They'll never hurt you again. I'm sorry I didn't show up earlier. It's okay now."

He glanced at Yugi. The boy wasn't crying, but he was deadly pale and looked ready to faint at any moment. Without a second thought Joey reached out and pulled him into the embrace as well. For a few moments Yugi didn't react, but then Joey felt a shiver wrack the smaller body, and then Yugi pressed his face to Joey's throat and started sobbing quietly. The blonde just held them close and cooed softly to make them calm down. He had done this kind of thing thousands of times when he was younger, right after their father had died, and Serenity often woke up after nightmares.

He remembered the thoughts that had been running through his head outside the caves. Now he was glad he hadn't run away when he had the chance. The very thought that he would have left his two new friends behind made him sick.

Yugi hiccupped once, and then leaned back so that he could look Joey in the eye. He looked tired and still a little afraid, but he smiled, and that was always a start. Joey smiled back, and then turned to Ryou, whom had also sat up again. He looked a lot more relaxed now.

"Thank you." His voice was still shaking a little, but he too was smiling. "And sorry for getting your shirt all wet. Guess I don't handle stress that well."

"I think you're entitled to be a little distraught under the current circumstances," Joey answered with a grin. "I'm so happy I found you."

"We're happy to be found. I thought for sure our time was up."

"We both did," Yugi added. "Which reminds me… how _did _you find us?"

Joey didn't answer right away. He got to his feet and walked around the two boys. He had just realized they were still tied. Carefully, he cut the ropes around their hands, and while they rubbed their wrists to get the circulation going, he walked back around to free their feet.

"It's a long story that I'll tell you while we get out of here. We're not safe yet; we have to get to the surface before even more of those charming characters show up." He stood up and reached out his hands for them to take. "Can you walk?"

"I think so."

Yugi took his hand and pushed himself of the floor. He stood still and swayed back and forth for a few seconds, while he waited for his strength to come back, but it wasn't too long before his legs were working properly again. Ryou's legs were a little worse. The shock of nearly being raped still lingered in his body, and his legs were like spaghetti. Joey and Yugi had to help him stand up, and even then, he had to hold on to Yugi to remain standing.

"We can't stay here," Joey told them. "We'll take turns supporting you, Ryou, but we have to move it."

"I'm sorry to be such a bother," Ryou said and looked at his feet.

"Don't be stupid," Yugi told him softly, but firmly. "You're just a bit shaken. Who wouldn't be after something like that? You're not a bother, Ryou. You're our friend."

Joey smiled and nodded to show that he agreed with Yugi, then turned and nodded in the direction of the tunnel he had come through. He made sure not to look at the two dead bodies as he walked passed them, and he hoped Ryou and Yugi didn't either. Even if he knew the werewolves probably had deserved it, guilt was slowly welling up in his heart.

"This way."

The tunnel was lot longer than Joey remembered. But then again; he had been running at top speed to get to Ryou and Yugi as fast as he could. He hadn't really had time to think about his surroundings. Now he was moving at a much slower pace, and was keeping his eyes and ears open for any sound that might indicate that they had been discovered. Now and then he and Yugi took turns helping Ryou, until the young albino could walk on his own. Joey told them about Marik and how he had helped them, and both Ryou's and Yugi's faces lit up when he told them Yami and Bakura were here, looking for them as well.

And then they came to a crossing.

Joey stared at the three dark tunnels that led of into different directions. He couldn't remember passing this while he was running! Had they taken a wrong turn somewhere? No, they hadn't passed a single opening before these three. Which meant one of them must lead to the surface. But he couldn't for the life of him remember which one! He couldn't even remember passing something like this while running! Why hadn't he been paying attention!?

"Which way, Joey?" Yugi asked and looked at him with big, worried eyes.

"Uh…"

"You don't know, do you?"

Joey was saved the trouble of answering when a furious roar rose from the tunnel behind them, bounced of the walls and made them put their hands over their ears. For a few moments it echoed all around them, sounding like it came from everywhere at once, but then it slowly faded away, and left complete silence in its wake. Joey looked back down the tunnel they had emerged from, and then at Yugi and Ryou. They looked frightened, and why shouldn't they?

Someone had obviously found the bodies.

"Come on!" Joey called and headed for the tunnel in the middle. "I know it's a wild guess, but I would rather take a chance than let those monsters catch up with us any day!"

Apparently Yugi and Ryou agreed with him, because they followed without questioning.

They ran for what felt like hours, now and then stopping to listen; to see if anyone was chasing them. Joey could feel his heart beat hard against the inside of his ribcage, but he forced himself to stay calm. He gripped Yugi's hand to make sure he wouldn't loose the boy while he ran, and in return he heard Yugi ask Ryou to take his hand.

The third time they stopped to listen if anyone was following them, Joey heard what he had hoped he wouldn't hear.

Something that sounded suspiciously like claws on stone.

"Keep moving!" He ordered Yugi and Ryou in a hissing whisper, and pushed them in front of him. "And no matter what, don't stop! Don't look back!"

Damnit, where was that opening?! Joey didn't know why, but he had a feeling that everything would be okay if they could just reach the surface. Maybe he simply wanted to get out of the darkness, but his brain kept chanting '_if only we get out, if only we get out_' over and over again. But the farther they ran, the more he realized that was probably not going to happen.

Because the floor was tilting downwards.

_Fuck!_

The sound of someone running was close now. So close Joey could even hear laboured breathing and pebbles rolling across floor. There was no helping it: Yugi and Ryou were already running as fast as they could. Whatever was following them would be over them very soon. And even if it was so dark Joey could barely see, he would rather face 'it' than have his back turned to 'it', like now.

"Keep running!" He called to the two boys, and then stopped abruptly and turned around.

And toppled over backwards as something warm and hard ran straight into him.

This was not what he meant when he said he wanted to face his enemy! The werewolf on top of him snarled and growled and clawed at his face and chest with long, blunt nails. Joey hissed as the digits penetrated his skin and made it bleed. In the dim light he could see green eyes staring down at him, and then the creature lowered its head to bite him in the face. Joey barely managed to grip it around its throat, to prevent it from biting his face off. Still it tried to reach him, pressing down against the hand like a true animal would.

Filthy hands came up to try and poke his eyes out, and Joey only had one hand free to fend them of. As one thumb came dangerously close to pressing into his eye-socket and effectively destroying his eyesight, Joey snapped his head to the side and bit down on it as hard as he could. Blood and dirt filled his mouth. The werewolf howled and struggled even harder to harm him.

And it did have a great advantage; Joey was pinned beneath it and both his hands were busy. He couldn't reach his sword, and he couldn't dodge the attacks. And his strength was fading fast.

Its face was so lose to him now. A few millimetres and it would bite his nose off. And damn, did it have a bad breath! Joey had a tight grip on one of its wrists, keeping the hand out of the way, but the only way for him to dodge the other hand was to move his head from side to side. His face hurt from all the small gashes inflicted by the nails, and any moment now a finger would find his eye and press down on it.

How bad would it hurt to have a finger shoved into his eye-socket?

Then suddenly the cave was lit by a strange purple light and Joey got one quick glimpse of a ragged, animalistic face and thin, grey hair before the creature above him quite literally caught fire.

It threw itself backwards with a terrible roar, and suddenly Joey was free. For a second he could do nothing but look up at the creature which was jumping back and forth before him in agony while the purple flames licked at its body. But he was back at his feet almost immediately, and the blade of his sword flashed as he pulled it from its sheath and in one fluid motion separated the werewolf's head from its body.

The screams of pain were cut of, and strangely enough, the fire died as soon as the body fell to the ground. Joey stared at the smoking remains for a few seconds, while the terrible smell of burnt flesh filled the tunnel. He wiped the bloody blade on his pants-leg and put it back in its sheath again.

Then he realized that even though the fire was gone, he could still see.

He quickly turned around and looked at the two boys standing ten metres away in the tunnel. Yugi's eyes looked even bigger than usual, and their faces were pale in the flickering light of the purple flame dancing in Ryou's hand.

Complete silence for a few moments.

"'Keep running'?" Yugi asked and looked at him with a small smile.

Joey inhaled shakily and walked over to them. He put a hand on each of their shoulders and looked them in the eye.

"Thank you for disobeying my orders," he said gravely, but smiled. "And for saving my life."

"Then we're even," Ryou said meekly and his gaze strayed to the dark remains of a body. "You saved us… and we saved you."

"Sounds good to me," Joey stated.

A faint sound down the tunnel interrupted the moment, and they all looked at each other. Without a single word they all turned and ran again, but this time, they had the flame in Ryou's palm to light them the way.

Just like Joey had realized before, the tunnel was tilting downwards, which meant they were walking deeper into this maze of tunnels, and they had obviously taken the wrong tunnel. But there was no turning back now; they couldn't go back, unless they wanted to fight a horde of snarling, crazy monsters.

Which were closing in on them fast. It wasn't too long before Joey could hear the sound of nails on floor again, but this time it sounded like there were more of them.

Which. Was. Not. Good.

Yugi and Ryou were panting in front if him. He knew they were growing tired. And Joey himself wasn't in the best of conditions either. He doubted he could go through another fight like the one he had just endured, and even if Yugi and Ryou could use that weird fire-magic, they weren't warriors. In body _or_ mind.

And then the smaller tunnel showed up like a gift from god on the wall to their left. Joey would never have seen it if it wasn't for Ryou's fire, and he doubted the werewolves would either. This was their chance to shake them of, and at the same time maybe find a way out.

"Left!" he gasped to Ryou, whom was running up front. "The small tunnel… to the left!"

Ryou heard him. Without slowing down he ran into the smaller tunnel. It was a tight fit; Joey almost scraped his shoulders against the walls, but they still managed to get in and keep running.

For a few seconds.

Because suddenly Ryou's purple flame disappeared… along with the boy himself.

And then Yugi did too.

And before Joey had time to stop, he fell down the same hole his two friends had fallen into seconds before.

For the second time that day, Joey fell. He could hear Yugi and Ryou scream further down the hole. He barely registered the fact that they were falling through a round, tight tunnel, and that he was getting wet while falling. Apparently this was one of the natural "water-pipes" he had heard inside the walls while he was walking next to Seto.

That felt like such a long time ago now.

And then the tunnel abruptly ended, and he was just falling free through the air. Yugi and Ryou were still screaming somewhere under him, falling just as much as him. Maybe he was screaming too. He didn't know; he was so disoriented.

And then, once again for the second time that day, Joey felt himself surrounded by ice-cold water as he, _once again_, landed in an underground pond.

Luckily, this one seemed to be a lot bigger than the last one. It was actually more like and underground lake than anything. As soon as Joey had broken through the surface and gotten back some of his orientation, he looked around in panic. He gave a relieved sigh when he realized Yugi and Ryou were surfacing a few metres away. They looked shocked and were coughing like mad, but at least they were alive.

"H-hey!" He called to Ryou, whom was closest. "You okay?"

"F-f-fine," Ryou stuttered and his teeth clattered. "C-c-cold, b-but f-fine."

Joey looked at Yugi with a raised eyebrow, and when he too nodded to show he was fine, Joey sighed again and swam over to help them.

A few moments later all three boys managed to drag themselves onto the edge right next to the lake, where they sat huddled together in a vain attempt at staying warm.

"I h-hate this p-place," Joey shivered. "I truly, c-completely hate it! W-werewolves… tunnels… c-c-cold freaking water… I h-h-hate it so f-fucking much! A-and I'm never c-coming b-back here e-e-ever again."

Yugi laughed softly between violent shivers, but Ryou simply frowned and nodded in agreement. Joey looked up and studied their surroundings for the first time since they got out of the water. This cave was a lot larger than any of the ones Joey had seen thus far. It was actually big enough to compete with the ones in Seto's hollow mountain. Joey didn't doubt that the big dragon could fit in here. The ceiling looked like a huge dome above their heads, and everything was made of dark-red stone. Joey's gaze swept over everything…

Then he froze.

Here and there around the room there lay big boulders that wasn't part of the mountain. Joey didn't know how they had gotten here, and he didn't care either. What he cared about was what sat _on _those boulders.

Werewolves.

A lot of werewolves.

They sat crouched on top of the boulders and simply watched the three of them. Didn't move. Didn't speak. And when he looked a little closer, he could see they weren't only sitting on the boulders. They were sitting on the floor, in the shadows, on cliffs… everywhere. Watching. And waiting.

Joey swallowed and felt a terrible, terrible fear claw its way up his throat, mixed with something very akin to anger.

"Well, shit!"

**I. AM. SOOOOO. SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED EARLIER! I have no excuse, other than lack of inspiration. I knew what to write (sort of) and how things would work out; I just didn't have the energy to write it, y'know? But today I said to myself; "Damnit woman, pull yourself together!" AND I DID:D**

**This and the next chapter were originally supposed to be one and the same, but I didn't think it would be so darn long! So I've split it in two parts. I PROMISE(!) to work my ass of to get the next one done really soon, so you don't have to wait for so long this time!**

**BUT OF COURSE I'LL UPDATE EVEN FASTER IF YOU REVIEW! Y'KNOW; FOR INSPIRATION! **

**Yeah, that's pretty much all I've got to say. Feel free to rant and bitch and moan about my slow updating. I deserve a real spanking for making you wait so long!**

**R&R!!! **

**Oh, just one more thing; if there's anyone out there who's wondering about "The war at home"… I've put it on hold until I've finished Dragon's Kiss. I though I could handle two stories at the same time… but I was wrong! T.T**

**So yeah, just so you know! **

**R&R!!!**


	8. Tale of the werewolves

**I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but do most of you always fav/alert and never review?  
**

**Because it makes us authors feel like the ugliest things on earth!****  
****D:  
It's really hurting us to know that no matter how hard we try to crank out these chapters, there's always people who just. don't. review.  
and then. **

**I don't want to write.  
WHY should I write for a group of lazy kids who can't even tell me why they like what I write?**

**So yeah, please leave a review; it HELPS A LOT in my writing! **

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Chapter seven: Tale of the werewolves

"Well, shit!"

Yugi and Ryou looked up at his harsh tone, and as they too spotted the many werewolves, Ryou gasped and Yugi's face turned as white as snow. What felt like hundreds of glowing eyes- brown, blue, green, yellow, red, black, amber- were staring at them with fascination and hunger. Joey slowly rose from the floor and inched his way in front of his friends, drawing his sword as he went. Despite the dim light, he could see the multiple eyes shift and fix on his blade. Suddenly the pack was buzzing with whispers and low growls.

"It's him!" One of them (Joey couldn't tell whom) screamed. A silver haired female rose from her place on one of the boulders and pointed a bony finger at him. "He carries a sword. He must be the one who killed our brothers."

"More like I put them out of their misery," Joey muttered, but nobody heard him over the roar the female werewolf's words caused.

Knowing they stood in front of the human who had slaughtered their brothers, the werewolves roared and howled and screamed like the animals they turned into once a month. They beat dirty fists against the ground and pointed at him, screaming threats and insult with every breath. Joey could only make out a few of them among the voices and echoes ringing throughout the cave.

"Filthy human murderer!"

"Cowardly bastard brat!"

"Make him pay for our brothers' lives!"

"Teach him pain! Make him bleed until he cries and begs and pleads for death!"

Strangely enough, none of them were actually attacking. Just screaming and cursing and threatening. It was as if they were waiting for something, and that made Joey restless. His body was tense and ready for a fight; the cold water had woken him up and given him new energy, but he wouldn't endanger Yugi and Ryou even more by attacking first. Speaking of Yugi and Ryou…

"Try finding a way out of here," he said over his shoulder. "I'll keep them at bay."

Yugi and Ryou had stood up as well, dripping wet and obviously cold. Yugi's hair was sagging a little, and his eyes held fear in them, but he frowned in determination and nodded. Joey nodded back and switched his gaze to Ryou for a second, before he turned around again. Was it just him, or was the albino eyeing the roof?

Didn't matter; he had to keep the werewolves somewhat distracted from his friends, so they could figure out a plan. He trusted them with that, just as they trusted him to protect them to the best of his ability. His grip on the handle of his sword tightened even more, and he took a step forward.

"That all you can do?" he called to them with a smirk. "Bitch at and insult me? I killed your friends! Aren't anyone gonna try to get revenge? Or are you nothing but a bunch of cowardly mutts?!"

The first to snap was a male with shaggy rat-coloured hair. Just as Joey had hoped, he left the safety of his pack and threw himself at Joey. Sharp nails slashed through the air, but Joey dodged them easily, slipped under his arms and attacked from beneath. Barely a second later his sword was buried to the hilt in the werewolf's torso, and their faces were only inches apart. For a second, Joey's eyes met surprised red eyes, then he took a step back and pulled his sword free with a hard jerk.

The werewolf fell to his side, gasping and howling, and the roar of his comrades became even louder. Yet they stayed put. The whole act had had the effect Joey had been hoping for; he'd scared them. He could see it in their wide eyes. It had been a wild chance; he might have just provoked them into attacking even more, but he was glad he had judged these monsters right; they now knew how good he was, and would avoid direct contact for as long as they could.

He took a step back again, and risked a quick look over his shoulder. Ryou and Yugi were standing close together, obviously having some sort of discussion, even though Joey couldn't hear their words over the noise of the werewolves. Now and then they craned their necks back to look at the roof. Joey didn't know what they were looking at, and he didn't dare following their gazes to look for himself. Had to keep an eye on the animals.

…Which were currently getting so worked up some of them had actually jumped to the floor and was approaching slowly in packs of five or six. Joey positioned himself in a fighting stance with his sword raised above his head, ready for their attack. It would, undoubtedly, come at any moment. Joey's muscles were tense, his mind was clear, his heart was beating steadily in his chest, and he was slowly slipping into a state of complete focus.

He was thirteen, at the training-field with Tristan again, and their teacher was watching them spar with unforgiving eyes. They both knew that the slightest mistake would be detected and a harsh punishment would be received. The looser would not get any sleep for the next three days; the teacher would keep him occupied with ruthless training.

Just like back then, Joey knew he couldn't afford to screw up now. For the first time ever, he was grateful for the terrible training; it had taught him not to break down under pressure. Not even as six large werewolves were approaching him with rage burning in their eyes. Not even as he knew his and two others' lives were depending on his martial-arts skills…

"_Hold it!_"

The voice wasn't really that loud, but the command rung throughout the cave and made the werewolves freeze. Joey's head snapped up and he searched the cave with narrowed eyes for whoever had made the demand. The voice was male; deep and growling, and held an air of authority that could only mean one thing; Leader. And as Joey let his eyes swoop over the pack, it was easy to distinguish the alpha from the others.

He stood on top of one of the boulders with folded arms and blood-red eyes fixed on Joey. The man was freakishly tall- probably a good two and a half metres. He was standing upright, while all the others sat crouched with their heads bent in respect. Compared to them, with their ragged clothes and filthy bodies, he looked like a king. Long, dark-blond hair fell down his back and framed his face, which was edgy and scarred. A brown mantle was draped around his broad shoulders and fell all the way to the ground. His arms and chest were almost ridiculously well-muscled, and the hands were big and calloused. His dark skin was marred with scars after multiple fights.

Joey had never seen anything like him before in his whole life, and yet, there was something with him that was familiar. As if he had seen this man before, but couldn't for the life of him remember where. And the feeling seemed to be mutual, because the werewolf was starring at him with a mix of wonder and shock.

"It can't be…" the dark, thoughtful voice reached his ears, and Joey saw the alpha narrow his eyes. "But it must be…"

Joey had no idea what he was talking about, but a very uneasy feeling was settling in the pit of his stomach. He prayed to any god out there that Yugi and Ryou had found some kind of escape. Now every werewolf was quiet, and the cave eerily silent, but Joey couldn't hear the boys whisper to one another. He didn't dare turn around to look if they had been distracted by the alpha's entrance. Not when those red eyes were focused on him so intently.

What the hell was that werewolf staring at anyway?!

What Joey didn't know was that the water from the underground lake had washed his face and hair clean from any blood and filth. He still had the scratches on his face from the fight with the werewolf, but now when the blood had been washed away, they were barely visible. Now, one could clearly see his smooth skin and beauty again, and the alpha was mesmerized by the sight, for more than one reason. Because for the werewolf, there was something very familiar with this fair young creature; the golden mane of hair… the fiery eyes… the stubbornly set jaw…

"His majesty," he said slowly. "Prince… Andreas."

Joey's mouth fell open and his eyes widened. What the hell?

"How do you know my dad's name?!"

The werewolf smirked widely, and Joey could see the sharp white fangs. Yet he didn't care. Could this monster have known his father? It wasn't possible!

"So I _was_ right." The alpha almost purred with contentment. "You are… Andreas' son. The similarities are quite striking, you know. Joseph, was it? Last time I saw _you_, you were barely potty-trained. You grew up quite nicely though."

Joey stared at him, completely shocked. How could it be possible for a werewolf to know not only his father's name, but his own, too? They were hundreds of miles from Domino, and according to the werewolf, it must have been a very long time ago. Even if he _had _known Joey's dad, how come Andreas had never mentioned it to Joey? Sure, Andreas had always had a lot of acquaintances that weren't completely human, and Joey hadn't met all of them, but this…?

"Who are you?" he asked disbelievingly.

The werewolf threw his mantle back from his shoulders, making it flutter dramatically in the progress. He then jumped to the ground and bowed deeply to Joey.

"I am Anubis," he said solemnly and straightened to look into Joey's wide eyes. "Alpha male and _leader_ of this family." His eyes turned cold as he smirked dangerously again. "The family you _violated _so gravely."

"I wouldn't have touched your goddamned family if you'd kept your paws off of Ryou and Yugi," Joey growled back and glared heatedly at him.

To his big surprise, the werewolf threw his head back and laughed heartily. Joey stared at him perplexedly, and so did a few of his pack mates. They looked like they didn't know if they should stay quiet or laugh with him. Before they could make up their minds though, Anubis stopped and looked at Joey again, still chuckling a little.

"Sorry, sorry," he said as answer to Joey's miffed expression. "It's just that you remind me so terribly of your father." His face turned scornful. "He too got a kick out of playing the hero."

"How the hell _did_ you know my father?!" Joey asked again, suddenly fed up with this whole situation. Was this an enemy or a friend? Would he fight them, or let them go?

"Ah, how do I know good old Andreas?" Anubis sighed amusedly. "How can I not? After all…" Once again, his expression changed in less than a second. This time from amusement to burning hate. "He was the man who drove us from our home and threatened with death if we ever tried to return. The man who took everything for us, and made us what we are today."

Yugi's gasp mixed with the murmurs of agreement from the other werewolves. Joey felt ice grow in his chest and in his body as the words sunk in. It wasn't possible: he refused to believe that his kind, patient, wise father had done something like that. Andreas had had a lot of friends among magical creatures, and was more than tolerant to their existence. Joey's whole brain _and_ heart was screaming at him that this creature was lying.

"Allow me to tell you a story," Anubis sneered bitterly and took a few steps closer to Joey, Yugi and Ryou.

"Once upon a time, there was a family of werewolves who lived in the city of Domino. They lived a peaceful life, and minded their own business. But then, one day, the prince of the city decided that they no longer could live among humans; that they were not fit for that life. And so he drove them away, killing a few in the progress, and told them to never come back, or he would have all of their heads. The family was forced into the wild, where they had to fight for their lives and existence. Where they had to become more animal that human in order to get by." He made a gesture at his pack-brothers and sisters. "Look at these faces, Joseph, son of Andreas. This is what your father made us. He can rot in hell for all I care!"

Joey didn't look at the faces, but at the hate-filled creature before him. The face that looked so familiar, somehow. Once again, he tried hard to remember where he had seen those spiteful eyes, and suddenly…

Something just clicked! As if a box had been unlocked, his memories came flooding forth. Faint, half forgotten memories of a dark time...

He was six again, sitting outside his parents' room as they argued wildly. Adhara was furious, but Andreas had inherited the temper of the old kings, and was meeting her rage with a wave of his own. They almost never argued: Joey knew that they both found the other perfect, and never really had anything to complain about before this. Even now, their argument wasn't about themselves. Instead, they were having a row about the werewolves living in the city. Adhara was trying to convince his father to just drive them off; they had caused so much damage already. Andreas on the other hand wanted to give them one last warning. Adhara called him too forgiving, and their argument escalated from there.

He was six, and wondering why his father was suddenly paying less attention to him and his sister. Why wasn't he reading them bed-time stories anymore, and why was he locking himself in his office to work or out on some important mission for days at end? Why did he always look so tired and worried, and why was the castle, as well as the city, so much more quiet than usually?

He was six, and watching terrified from his hideout behind his father's throne, how the giant man screamed and threatened as Andreas read the order concerning him and his kind. He watched as the man pointed a finger at his father and told him he would get his revenge somehow. The sight and sound of the man had given Joey nightmares for weeks afterwards, and it wasn't until his father started coming back home earlier and looked much less tired, that the nightmares finally stopped, and he slowly forgot about the monstrous man.

The very same man was standing in front of him now, spewing forth lies and insults at his father. The present version was more scarred and looked a little more insane, but it was definitely him. Joey remembered him, and he remembered the terrible things he had done.

"You are a lying bastard," Joey told him in cold rage. "I remember how you and your people moved to Domino to live among humans, and how my father _let _you, even though he knew what you turned into once a month! I remember how you kidnapped, raped and murdered dozens of young men and women, despite my fathers multiple warnings that you would all be banished. I remember how it took weeks for dad to finally drive all of you away, and I remember how Domino lived in fear for weeks after you had disappeared! Don't give me that shit about how you were being treated unfairly. You deserved everything that happened to you! Hell, you deserved _worse_!"

The werewolves roared in anger and a new wave of insults was thrown at Joey, but Anubis simply made a gesture to quiet them, and smirked at Joey once again.

"Perhaps we did, little prince. But you must understand that we need breeders to survive. Once those men and women had played their part, what was the point in keeping them alive? If we hadn't kidnapped them and used them for breeding, our kind would have died with time. And there are so many humans; a dozen more or less won't make a difference."

"You make me sick!" Joey spat. "You're just a pack of rabid dogs." He raised his sword and got into a fighting-position again. "I'll look forward to taking you down."

Anubis smirked evilly at him and folded his arms across his chest. He studied the young prince carefully, and marvelled at how much he looked like Andreas. But his face was softer, _prettier_,than Andreas', which had been all sharp chin and broad forehead. Anubis had heard tales of the queen, Adhara- the most beautiful woman alive- and realised that the boy must have inherited some of her fairness. He had to admit that Andreas and his wife had done a good job with this one: the prince was a stunning mix of golden looks and burning passion. And suddenly he felt a wave of desire well up inside him; he _wanted _to have this boy, more than he had wanted anything in his life! He wanted to take that passion and fire, and tame it; use it for his own pleasure.

"Such passion, little prince," he purred and took another step closer. "It is quite unfortunate that you won't come to me freely; I would have been delighted to make you my beta."

"What the hell are you talking about," Joey snapped. He had a fairly good idea what Anubis meant, but he wanted to win some time. Hopefully, Yugi and Ryou had come up with a plan by now.

"Wouldn't it be ironic," Anubis said, "if the son of the man who took everything from us… were to carry my cubs? If he were to be the key to our continued existence? Yes, I do believe that would be a very fitting revenge for what Andreas did. Not to mention poetic justice." He made a pause and gave a dreamy smile. "I will so enjoy having you writhe beneath me. I will love to press myself inside you, have you cry and scream and beg. Over, and over, and over again."

"As if I'll let you anywhere near me, asshole!" Joey spat, disgusted at the mere thought.

Anubis chuckled in reply.

"My dear boy, you will find, very soon, that I _always _get what I want." He turned towards the other werewolves, and smiled a smile of pure malice. "Bring them to me."

And in the next moment, the cave exploded.

With roars of triumph and bloodlust, the werewolves attacked; all at the same time. They jumped from the boulders and ran towards the three boys with insanely glowing eyes. Joey saw them coming and felt adrenaline flow through his body. Finally, they were done talking!

"Joey!" Yugi called to him over the screams. "_Keep them busy_!"

"Don't have to tell me twice, Yug!" Joey answered just as the first werewolf reached him and lashed out.

The next thing he knew, they were over him. Wherever he looked, there were ragged looking faces and glowing eyes looking back at him. To Joey, it was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Rules his teacher had quite literally beaten into his skull raced through his head, and aided him now, in his time of need.

"_When faced with multiple enemies at the same time, focus on the ones inside you personal sphere, and obviate them one at a time._"

"_Always keep an eye on your surroundings: mistakes such as tripping or getting stuck in a corner are not acceptable in a life-threatening fight, and will more often then not cause your own death._"

"_Your enemies will most likely use dirty tricks to surprise and overpower you. Be prepared for anything, and never let them get the upper hand." _

Joey could practically hear his old teacher's voice as he fought, kicked, jumped, dodged and sliced through werewolves with his sword. He had never experienced anything like this before in his life; the adrenaline pumping through him, the screamsof his enemies, the smell of blood and sweat and werewolves, the feel of his own body's agile movements, the loud beating of his heart, the sweat running down his forehead and the warm swords-handle in his hand. It was terrifying… wonderful… disgusting… exhilarating… terrible… and another thousand things he couldn't even put a name to.

He was completely focused on a defence; he had formed a kind of semi-circle around Ryou and Yugi with the lake behind them. Everyone who stepped into the circle met their death at Joey's hand. One of them tried to attack Yugi directly, but suddenly Joey stood in the way, ready with a flying kick that threw the werewolf five metres backwards and broke three of his ribs. Another one tried to attack Joey from bellow by dodging under his defence and strike him with a head-butt, but Joey did a back-flip and kicked him in the chin. A third was stupid enough to just rush him, but Joey rolled to the side and buried his sword in his back, gripping the werewolf's neck and throwing him back at his comrades.

And it continued like that for a few minutes. Joey kept them all at bay pretty well, but the circle was getting smaller, and he had no idea for how long he could go on; for how long his adrenaline could keep him going. Where the hell was Yugi's and Ryou's solution?!

"Hey guys?!" He yelled over his shoulder as he blocked a swipe of sharp claws and tackled his opponent in the stomach. "This ain't no tea-party, you know!"

"Almost done!" Ryou called back. He and Yugi were holing each other's hands, and in the ring their arms created, a purple, green and golden light was glowing. Yugi had his eyes closed tightly and seemed to be whispering something, because Joey could see his lips moving. Ryou turned back toward him and joined in on it.

Joey didn't have time to see more, because suddenly somebody grabbed his hair and yanked his head back quite painfully.

"I've got you now, you little whore!" The werewolf howled in triumph.

Joey's sword flashed through the air, and the hand which had been gripping his hair fell to the ground, no longer attached to its owner. The werewolf didn't even have time to scream at the pain before Joey made a spinning kick that caught him on the side of his head.

"Don't ever call me a whore!" Joey screamed after him before turning towards his next opponent.

"_Quáerere_!" Yugi and Ryou suddenly screamed, and the light inside their arms exploded in fifty different directions. Joey and all the werewolves watched in awe as small spheres of light, some green, some purple, and some golden, danced around the cave for a few seconds before they all zoomed of in different directions. Joey saw some disappear down tunnels that lead away from the cave, and some disappeared through the holes in the roof, which provided the cave with some light.

For a second everything was silent.

Then the werewolves snapped back into attention, and attacked with new determination. Joey fought a few of, then quickly turned towards Yugi and Ryou and gave them a disbelieving look.

"_THAT'S IT?!_" He cried in exasperation, and then turned around to keep fighting again.

Well, that's just great! In all the time he had tried to keep their enemies busy, all they had come up with was a pretty light-show! They were officially screwed now!

Suddenly a hand grabbed Joey's arm and pulled him forward, away from Yugi and Ryou. He managed to tear himself away and kick the one who had grabbed him, but it was already too late. He heard a scream from behind him and knew the werewolves had reached Yugi and Ryou. He had failed!

"_Joey_!" he heard Yugi scream, and he tried desperately to turn around and get back to the two boys, but now the werewolves were all around him. Two of them grabbed him from behind, and as Joey tore himself away and turned around to take care of them; two other pairs of hands grabbed him from behind again. Joey lashed out with his sword and kicked and fought, and for a moment he managed to get them away from him. In that second, he got a glimpse of Yugi and Ryou, who were being dragged away from him, towards a boulder Anubis was sitting on, waiting.

Then the werewolves were back over him, and Joey could see nothing but hands, and faces, and sharp teeth and wild eyes again. Someone tried to wrench the sword out of his hand, but Joey held on tight and kept on fighting for all he was worth, even though it felt as if he was drowning among the hands trying to hold him down and keep him from moving. They were tearing at his clothes, grabbing his arms and legs, gripped his hair and scratched at his face. Everywhere! There was no way out! He could barely see the roof anymore because of all the hands!

And then, just as Joey felt his grip on the sword slip…

"_That's enough_!"

… They all pulled back; released his clothes and hair and body parts, and stepped away to surround him in a circle instead. Joey was disoriented for a moment- everything was spinning- then he remembered Yugi and Ryou, and spun around towards Anubis.

The alpha was still sitting on the boulder, grinning like the cat that got the canary. (Or maybe like the wolf that got the rabbit.) In front of the boulder he was sitting on, two werewolves with red hair and green eyes were standing with Yugi and Ryou. They had an arm draped around the two boys' necks, and was squeezing so tight Ryou and Yugi were gasping for breath. Joey felt cold dread replace the adrenaline inside him at the sight.

"Like I said, fair prince," Anubis purred and kept his eyes fixed on Joey. "I _always _get what I want." He jumped off the boulder and landed in front of the werewolves holding Joey's friends. "Now, beautiful, why don't you come to me?"

Joey stood frozen on the spot, but Anubis laughed quietly and raised an eyebrow. He reached out a hand towards Joey.

"You don't want us to harm you little friends, do you?" he asked matter-of-factly.

"Joey, _no_!" Ryou cried. The arm around his throat tightened and he gasped.

"I could kill them right now, if you don't come to me," Anubis warned.

Joey didn't know what to do! It was as if he had been split in half, and one half was screaming at him to never go to Anubis; they would hurt Yugi and Ryou anyway, while the other part saw his friends' frightened eyes and begged him to obey the alpha werewolf. Or should he try to fight his way over and free them? Was there any other way he could win some time?

Apparently, Anubis thought he was taking to long. He shot the werewolf holding Yugi a glance, and nodded. The red-headed werewolf grinned and bent down to trace his tongue along the shell of Yugi's ear. Yugi made a sound like a scream, a gasp and a sob at the same time, and squeezed his eyes shut. The arm around his neck prevented any kind of struggle he could have put up.

The werewolf nibbled on a spot below his ear for a second, and then suddenly, bit down on his earlobe hard enough to draw blood. Yugi screamed.

The sword clattered to the ground as Joey let it go and slowly started walking towards Anubis. The alpha smiled in satisfaction and watched him come closer; _finally_ the boy was _giving in_. And it was so much easier than he had first thought. Not that he was complaining; the sooner he could get that hot piece of ass into bed, the better.

Joey stopped in front of him and looked up at him with eyes burning with hate. Anubis smirked and pulled him closer.

"You are as strong and fearless as you are beautiful," he whispered into Joey's ear, making the blond shiver with disgust. "Our children will be gorgeous."

Joey had to suppress the urge to pull back as he felt a hot, slimy tongue move across his cheek. The alpha's breath reached his nose and made him want to hurl, but he kept still, keeping his eyes fixed on a spot somewhere above Yugi and the werewolf holding him. He didn't dare looking at his friends, especially not as calloused hands slid down his arms to grip his hips.

Anubis slid his hands around the boy's waist, and felt his rigid body shudder as they made contact. Joey could feel his erection through their pants, pressing against his lower stomach. Disgusting!

Anubis couldn't believe his luck! Not only could he get his revenge on Andreas by taking his son and make him his breeder, but the boy was also the most beautiful creature he had ever seen! He hadn't been kidding when he said he always got what he wanted. Speaking of which…

He ground his hips against Joey's, to make sure the boy really could felt how much he wanted him. Watching Joey fight had been a major turn-on for him. To watch that body move so smoothly… to see sweat run down creamy skin and to watch those eyes burn… oh, he thanked whatever lucky star he had out there for making this boy fall into his home.

"You feel that?" He asked and thrust his hips against Joey again. A shudder was his only answer. "Touch it."

Joey froze. He had been able to keep himself under control as he felt those hands move all over him, and hadn't even lost it when he felt the werewolf's cock rub against him- even though he had been very close to snapping then- but there was no way in _hell _that he was going to _touch _this perverted monster!

Anubis saw the resistance in his eyes, and bent down to whisper in his ear:

"If you don't do as I say… your friends will be the ones to suffer. I'm gonna beak you either way… question is if you'll let me do it the easy or _hard _way."

For a second, Joey looked at Yugi. The boy had tears in his eye, and as their gazes met, he shook his head as violently as he could and mouthed the word 'no' over and over again. Joey saw the red-headed werewolf nuzzle his nose against Yugi's hair, saw that the boy's ear was bleeding from the bite, and made his decision.

With tightly closed eyes, he reached down, and found the bulge between Anubis' legs. He swallowed thickly at the same time as he rubbed his hand over it. Oh, how he wanted to rip it of, or just pull back and scream and kick and fight! But that would amount to nothing! Only more pain for Ryou and Yugi.

"Keep going," Anubis moaned, and his hands found their way beneath Joey's pants to squeeze his ass. At the same time, his head lowered so he could nibble and suck at Joey's neck and throat.

He was going to throw up! He could feel the bile rise in his throat! He was going to throw up soon. He couldn't take this! He felt terrible; cheap, filthy, angry, desperate, and so very, very frightened.

"It's big, isn't it?" Anubis whispered in his ear between nibbles and bites while Joey kept stroking him. "Imagine it inside you; imagine how I'll thrust into you: in… out… in… out…. Imagine how good it will hurt, like you're being split in two. Bet you've never had anyone this big before, have you, beautiful? Have you had anyone at all, or am I going to be your first?" One of his hands squeezed Joey's ass so hard it hurt, while the other found its way between his ass-cheeks. Joey gasped in fear and froze again as a finger prodded his entrance. "It feels tight… you're a virgin, aren't you, my little prince? Oh, I like _that_."

To his horror, Joey could feel his eyes begin to water. _No!_ He wasn't going to cry. He wouldn't give this asshole the satisfaction…. But all the same, he felt tears well up. He fixed his eyes on the wall behind Anubis, and blinked to force them back. He couldn't let this happen! He was stronger than this, wasn't he?! Or was he really this useless? Was this the only thing he could do? He had failed to save Yugi and Ryou… maybe he really was nothing more than a whore. And even if he wasn't… he soon would be!

Envious and lustful murmurs had begun breaking out among the other werewolves. They watched as their leader ravaged the beautiful golden boy, and hoped that he would give them the other two to play with soon. It was unfair that he was the only one getting any, yet none of them dared object.

"I like you like this," Anubis whispered to Joey, and to the blonde's great relief, he removed his finger to squeeze his ass again. "Obedient. Although you're a bit too quiet…. Oh well, you won't be when I fuck you. You'll scream then, I'm sure. I wonder if your screams are as beautiful as your face…"

A sudden movement behind Anubis made Joey's eyes widen, and to Anubis' great surprise, he suddenly dodged.

And then something slammed into his side, and he was thrown ten metres and crashed into a wall.

The other werewolves roared and screamed as a huge creature towered above them. The red-headed werewolves howled with fear as a pair of claws lifted them off the ground, and they were forced to let go of Yugi and Ryou. Seto looked down at the rest of the pack with cold, bored eyes, and then glanced at Anubis still form.

"Kindly take you hands of my captive," he said lazily. "I don't appreciate when others touch my things."

"Seto!" Yugi cried in delight.

Joey tried to stand back up, but it was hard; his knees were shaking terribly. He was so relieved to see the dragon and be out of Anubis arms, he even smiled at him, despite the jab. And what was even stranger was that he got a smirk in response.

"How did you find us?" He asked shakily.

"I got your seeker," Seto said and turned to Yugi and Ryou. "It was very good; showed me the way here. If it wasn't for it, I would never have found you."

So that's what those green and purple spheres were! Seekers!

"Are you all right?" Seto continued.

"Yeah, Joey found us before things got… unpleasant," Ryou said and shuddered at the memory. Then he seemed to remember what Joey had just been through, because he turned and promptly ran over to hug the blond.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," he whispered into Joey's chest. "You shouldn't have done that for our sake."

Joey relaxed into his arms and let a dry sob escape him. He could still feel those burning hands on him, and the feeling made him sick. Having Ryou embrace him in such an innocent way made him feel a little better though; it reminded him that it was over now. Seto was here, and everything would be okay.

"Stupid," he whispered thickly into the top of the albino's head and held on thigh. "Of course I had to do that for you. You're my friends. And it's over now, anyway."

He held onto Ryou for a few seconds more, taking comfort in the other boy, who, he knew, had gone through the same thing, and then he looked up at Seto. He was shocked to see that the sharp blue eyes were watching them, and that the dragon was frowning deeply. He looked… really, really worried.

Joey smiled at him again and released Ryou. Of course he had been worried; Seto might not be around that often, but Yugi and Ryou were his friends. And if there was anything Joey had learned, it was that Seto was protective of the ones he cared about.

A growl from behind him made Joey turn around. Anubis was trying to get up from his spot on the floor. He looked a bit shaken, and still shocked.

And pissed off!

"You'll regret that, dragon!" he hissed furiously. "Coming between me and my prey is never a good idea. I'll make sure you're sorry."

Seto raised an eyebrow.

"You don't seriously believe you can defeat me, do you?"

Joey had to agree. Seto was eight metres tall, his body was covered in scales, and he could breathe fire.

"Ah, but this is my territory, lizard," Anubis stated with a confident smirk. "And you are quite outnumbered."

Seto glanced at the pack of werewolves, which hadn't moved an inch since their leader had been thrown into the wall. But now they seemed to grow more and more confident at Anubis words, and were getting ready to attack. Seto didn't look impressed in the least, but Anubis was grinning evilly.

"Give my prince to me, and I'll let the rest of you go. Otherwise, you'll all die here."

"I highly doubt _that_," Seto said coldly and met his gaze. "And the human doesn't belong to you. Never have, never will."

Joey didn't know why he wasn't standing up for himself. Maybe because he was still shocked and shaky after the whole assault-thing. Or maybe because there was something about Seto that simply screamed 'I'm in charge, don't interfere'. For some reason Joey didn't find that disturbing. And for some other reason he kind of liked the fact that Seto was standing up for him.

"I beg to differ," Anubis answered. "But it doesn't matter. You won't live long enough to change your mind. _I'll kill you_!"

He screamed the last part at Seto, and for his pack, this seemed to be the signal to attack. For the second time that day, Joey saw a wave of werewolves come rushing towards him at full speed, and he suddenly realized he didn't have his sword. Oh well, he wasn't too bad at hand-to-hand either.

Seto obviated the werewolves running at the front of the pack by throwing the red-headed werewolves- which he was still holding in his claws- at the others. The first row tumbled back as their comrades landed on them, and the ones coming after had to jump over the first ones, lying on the ground. This gave Ryou and Yugi time to take cover by Seto, and Joey to get ready for the attack. It felt good to fight; it took his mind off of what had happened, and helped him regain his confidence. His strength returned as the adrenaline started flowing again, and Joey felt good.

But he had only fought of one or two enemies when the roof over the lake suddenly collapsed and sunlight streamed into the room. For a second, Joey, along with everyone else, was blinded by the bright light. Then he heard something that made him smile with triumph.

An eagle's mighty cry.

Yami came swooping in through the hole like the large, black raptor that he was. He gave another ear-splitting cry and swooped down to grab two werewolves in each claw. He then flew all the way to the roof and let them go. Joey watched them fall to the ground, screaming in panic.

Bakura was next. He jumped through the hole and landed on the floor, threw his head back and howled for Ryou. He than grabbed the closest werewolf and hurled it across the cave.

The werewolves took one look at the two newcomers, then looked back at Seto and Joey, ready and willing to fight…

And panicked.

Not even Anubis' outraged roars could frighten them more than these new enemies did. They had all understood that this was a fight they couldn't win, and were scrambling towards the cave openings. Joey watched them push each other out of the way and run each other over to get out first. Most of them didn't make it: Yami swooped down time and time again and grabbed them. One time, Joey saw his sharp claws dig into his victim, and said victim screamed in agony, but Joey couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for it.

Bakura had gone berserk, and were literally tearing enemies apart with his own hands. He was completely covered in blood, and his eyes were glowing… and he was laughing. Laughing like mad.

Joey shivered and looked away.

Seto could take care of five werewolves at a time. All he had to do was swoop out with a paw or his tail, and they were thrown in all directions. He had yet to use his fire, and to Joey, he looked almost bored as he crushed bones and caused havoc.

Someone appeared from nowhere at Joey's side, and when he turned around, golden eyes met violet.

"You found your friends," Marik stated lazily.

"They found us," Joey answered and gave him a kind of half-smile. "I guess I owe you a thank you and an apology."

Marik didn't answer. Instead, he held his hand out to Joey. In it, he held the sword the blond had discarded earlier. Joey smiled at him for real this time, and took it. Marik smirked back, and then he was gone; probably to help Yami and Bakura slaughter his family. Joey didn't know why, but it felt as if he had just made a new friend.

A roar from his left made him turn around, and he barely had time to dodge before sharp claws came swooping down on the place he had been standing on a second earlier. The werewolves had realized they couldn't get out, so their only chance now was to fight for their lives.

Joey quickly got rid of the werewolf attacking him, and then another, and then he stood in front of Anubis.

The alpha wasn't smirking at him anymore. He looked furious and insane, and was panting heavily as he looked at Joey.

"Just for causing all this, I'll show you no mercy when I take you," he hissed. "Expect pain and blood as I fuck you."

"Why expect something that's never gonna happen," Joey said with as much certainty as he could muster. The very sight of the alpha had made him feel that finger almost inside him again, and he could feel some of his fear return, but he was not gonna cower like some kicked dog. If anyone was gonna finish Anubis of, it was him!

"And I'll make the punishment even more severe because you still resist me," Anubis growled, and the next thing Joey knew, he was over him.

Despite his large body, Anubis was fast. And he was very strong. Joey could feel the power behind every punch, kick and tackle, even if none of them hit him. Some of them even made the floor shake, and Joey knew he could crush bones with those fists. But his fighting skills were sloppy and depended more on wild flailing than real technique. That's where Joey's strength lied. All he had to do was dodge Anubis' attack, and wait for him to grow tired. Because when a fighter got tired, he left holes in his defence. Holes Joey could use to strike.

What bothered him the most was that Anubis was talking while he was attacking. It wasn't so much the talking as the things he said that bothered Joey. Everything he said had to do with sex, everything from in which positions he would take Joey, to the tightness of his ass. And some things even worse than that. That, combined with the terrible memories of the alpha's hands on him, distracted Joey and made his blood boil.

"Agile as a deer, aren't you, beautiful?" Anubis panted when Joey had done nothing but dodge his attacks for about ten minutes. "But not very good at fighting back. Could it be that you really don't want to hurt your master? Or are you afraid of my punishment?"

Finally, Joey's patience paid off as his sharp eyes detected a chance to attack. Anubis had raised his right arm a little too much- only a little- but it was enough; he was practically broadcasting his side. Finally Joey stopped dodging. Instead he threw himself forward, dodged under the muscular arm, and drove his sword to the hilt into Anubis' side. He then changed his grip on the hilt, and instead of pulling it back out, he wrenched it to the side, effectively cutting Anubis whole waist open.

"_Bitch_!" The werewolf howled, and suddenly his leg came flying from nowhere and hit Joey over the throat. Very hard!

The blond fell to the ground, clutching his gizzard and gasping for breath. He couldn't breathe, and felt panic slowly take him over. He tried to breathe deep, but it was as if something was stuck in the way, preventing the air from passing. Somewhere inside his confused, half-panicked mind, Joey realised that Anubis might actually have crushed his trachea. If so, he was going to die very soon.

"That's what you get," a hoarse voice rasped out from above him, and Joey felt a hand grip the back of his shirt and yank him to his feet. Another hand gripped his hair and yanked his head back, and Joey could feel Anubis pained breaths against his cheek. "That was really stupid, pet. Look what you did!"

The hand clutching his shirt disappeared from his neck and was held up in front of him. Joey vision was a haze, but he could see that the hand was covered in thick, red blood.

"I'll probably bleed to death, and it hurts like hell," Anubis wheezed out in his ear and licked his cheek. "But damn, I'm still hard for you! Wonder if I can fuck you before I die."

Joey could think of a thousand good insults as answer, but it all got stuck in his throat. He still couldn't breath, and everything was turning black around the edges.

"What's the matter, little prince? Need mouth-to-mouth, do you? Well, you aren't gonna get it. If I die, I'm taking you with me. Maybe in death, I'll finally get the chance to take you."

His knees were sagging. He couldn't hear the other talk anymore. He wouldn't make it for much longer…

"_JOEY!_"

He couldn't make out whom it was that had cried his name so desperately. All he was aware of was a sudden gust of burning hot air behind him, a pained scream, and then that hand in his hair disappeared. He only vaguely registered the fact that someone caught him when he fell over backwards, and that people were suddenly all over him. Some were screaming, but he couldn't make out more than his name.

"_Áeris…_" someone whispered, (How come he could make out that whisper when none of the loud cries made sense?) and suddenly his throat opened up like a door and sweet, sweet air slipped into his lungs. He gasped and coughed for a few minutes, then finally pulled in a deep, hoarse breath. Everything was spinning, and he was so tired…. All he wanted was to slip into sleep.

"-temporary solution…"

"-get out of…"

"-home…"

He could make out a few words of the hectic discussions above him, and mustered enough energy to open his eyes. But when he did, all he could see was… blue…? Oh well, that was okay. Blue was a pretty colour… especially this blue…

"Get some rest," a dark, soothing voice whispered in his ear. "We'll take you home."

_Home. _

Right now, that was the most beautiful word Joey had ever heard.

**Anyone who can guess what happened to Anubis gets a cookie! n.n**

**Aaah, got it done a bit faster this time, but I'm still sorry you guys had to wait. This was a pain in the butt to write, I tell you! I especially had problems with the fighting and action. I hope it sounds okay when you read it. English isn't my native language, you know! So sorry for any errors. Feel free to correct me. **

**Yay! I passed 100 reviews with the last chapter! ****Thank you so much, to those who reviewed! That note at the top DOES NOT CONCERN YOU! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH I THINK I'M GONNA DIE! I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU, AND THERE DEFINITELY WOULDN'T BE ANY STORY WITHOUT YOU! SO PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK, PEOPLE! YOU ARE AMONG THE FEW, THE MIGHTY, WHO REVIEW! **

**Okay, now that I've said that… I don't really know what more to say. This chapter turned out so frigging long! I even had to shorten it, and it still turned out long! But I guess that doesn't bother you, does it? (wink, wink)**

**Okay, now I'm just ranting, so I think I'm gonna shut up instead. I'll update a soon as I have the time and energy. Until then! **

**R&R!!!**


	9. A feast

Chapter eight: A feast

This was quite ridiculous, Téa decided as she sat huddled outside her own tent with a blanket wrapped tightly around her in a vain attempt at protection from the rain. She was the future queen of Domino, the first human who would tame a dragon, the one who would restore her family's former glory, and take the filthy, half-breed family now corrupting her ancestor's throne down!

She should _not _have let herself be kicked out of her own tent by some stupid brat.

Never mind the fact that said brat was more than four-hundred years old, possessed magic, and was insane.

Rebecca had insisted on being the one to sleep in the tent, her argument being that "an old woman needs shelter more than a young lady such as Téa". Téa had quarrelled with her for a good fifteen minutes, saying that Rebecca was far from old anymore. But when the witch had suddenly transformed a fireball out of thin air and started twirling it threateningly between her fingers as they continued their heated discussion, Keith had practically begged Téa to let her have the tent.

It irked Téa that she was showing this kind of respect to someone who barely reached her to the waist.

She let her blue gaze swoop over the camp they had set up for the day: no tents, just a barely alive fireplace, surrounded by a bunch of figures in thick blankets. Everything looked grey and dull thanks to the thick coat of rain falling over them; drenching them to the bone. She frowned in disgust as she watched the shivering men sitting around her. According to Keith, these were the worst thugs in all of Domino. They were strong, useful and didn't mind the thought of a rebellion against the royal family. It was thanks to king Rabastan and his son and grandson that they were outcasts, after all.

But as Téa watched them rub their hands together and hold them out to the pathetic flames, and heard their grunts and displeased sounds, all she saw was a bunch of stupid pigs. Did they really have what it took to overpower and _tame _a dragon? When they had heard of the plan, most of them had laughed and bragged that they weren't afraid of any monster. But these were men who stole and murdered innocent, defenceless people. They weren't exactly the most courageous of men.

It almost made her thankful Rebecca had chosen to come with them.

_Almost!_

A cold drop of water made its way down her neck and back, and Téa shivered. Oh how she hated the nature! When she became queen, she'd never leave the castle again! She'd send other to do the duties in the country, and stay in her warm, dry room all day long with beautiful lovers and delicious food! She gave a wistful sigh and looked up at the sky dreamily.

This proved to be a mistake, because a large drop of water landed in her eye, and Téa gave a starlet yelp and tried to rub it away.

"Somethin' wrong, m'lady?" One of the men around her asked quickly. "Somethin' I can do fer ya?"

"Do you need another blanket, lady Téa?" Another interjected. "You can have mine if you want."

"Are ya cold? I can try to warm ya up."

"Perhaps if I-"

"Shut up, you bunch of retards!" Téa snapped and blinked rapidly to clear her vision again. "I got a drop of water in my eye! And even if it was more than that, I'm way out of your league!"

"Oh."

They stared dumbly at her, and Téa sighed in frustration and rose from the ground. For the first time, Keith, who had been sitting beside her, took his eyes of the slowly dying fire, and looked at her.

"Where are you going?" He asked when she threw her wet blanket at him.

"To check the maps and our route with Rebecca," Téa said. "And get out of this idiot-parade."

Then she turned and stomped into the tent, throwing the drape over the opening aside violently. One of the men, the one who had spoken first, turned to Keith.

"A real wildcat, that sister of yers."

Inside the tent, Téa glared furiously at the twelve-year-old witch currently lounging in the bed that should have been hers. The girl lay on her back, with her arms crossed under her head, and her left leg crossed over the right. She didn't even open her eyes as Téa stormed in; the image of comfort.

"What?" She asked in a bored tone.

Téa had to fight hard to keep her fury at bay. She couldn't afford to loose control now: they _needed _Rebecca, and she was quite keen on living. But it was very hard not to, when the girl was sleeping in _her_ bed, and talking to her as if she was some common servant!

"I was thinking we should go over the maps once more, just to make sure we're heading in the right direction."

"I don't need a stupid map to find those dragons," Rebecca said. "My magic tells me where they are."

"I don't doubt your powers, but we are still days away from the forest, and I don't want us to get lost or delayed."

"Sounds to me like you're doubting my powers," Rebecca said and finally opened her eyes to look at Téa. "We are not going to get lost," she said. "We are heading in the right direction, and we're travelling as fast as we can with this much baggage and all those fools on our heels."

"Perhaps just a little peek to-"

"I don't need to _peek _on any stupid maps!" Rebecca was frowning now. "We had a deal. I find the dragons; you take them down. So please, let me do my part of the deal. Keep your nose out of it."

Téa was slightly taken aback and absolutely irate. But what could she do? She didn't dare upset the girl, and Rebecca was right: she didn't need any stupid maps. The only reason they _had_ a map was because the thugs helping them had insisted on one; they didn't trust the witch's magic. As it was, Téa was left with no other choice but to turn around and walk back out into the rain.

But at the opening of the tent she changed her mind and turned back to Rebecca. One last try couldn't hurt. She _really _wanted to get away from the rain!

"I was thinking…" she said casually and moved back inside again. "We are stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. It's just you, me, and a bunch of unsophisticated machos. Now, Rebecca, I know we're from different cultures and that you are probably…" she swallowed thickly, "_…far more experienced _than me, but I think this is one of those situations were we ladies should stick together. Don't you?"

"What are you trying to say, sweetie?" Rebecca asked with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Well…" Téa took a few more steps into the tent, and leaned against the wooden table with Rebecca's things on it. Originally, Téa would have used it as her dressing table. She quickly pushed that though aside. "It's obvious to anyone who bothers to look that we are the ones in charge of this expedition. Sure, Keith's in on the action, I guess, but he's barely any less ignorant than those pigs out there."

"Getting to the point anytime soon, princess?"

It was annoying to have a twelve-year-old talk to her like a little girl.

"The _point_, my friend, is that _we_ _lead_ this little adventure, and those guys _know _it! Ever heard the saying that nothing scares men like strong women?"

Rebecca stared at her for a moment, and raised her eyebrows again.

"You think they might try something?" Unfortunately, Téa mistook the mirth in her voice for disbelief.

"I can assure you that it's true," she said smoothly, and smiled at the witch. "Some of them have already started complaining, and they even doubt your powers."

"Do they now?"

"Yes, they do. It's foolish of them, but we can't do anything about it. At least not… if we don't stick together." She smiled her most beautiful smile. "So what do you say, Rebecca? Let's be friends?"

The witch stared at her with raised eyebrows for moment. "You've got to be kidding" her expression seemed to say, but when Téa met her gaze with that unwavering smile, Rebecca snorted once…

…and then promptly started to laugh. Téa stayed put, her smile wavering a little now, unsure of what she should do.

"Dear god, pumpkin," Rebecca said once she had gotten her laughter under control. "If we didn't already have a deal, I swear I'd keep you around because of your utterly amusing stupidity."

She chuckled a little more as Téa's jaw practically hit the floor. The girl looked outraged, shocked, embarrassed and a little frightened at the same time; a very amusing sight indeed.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet," Rebecca continued and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "I can burn every single one of you to the ground with a snap of my fingers. I'm not the least bit scared of any kind of rebellion that might break out in this little group. As for them doubting my powers… what were you expecting from that ignorant bunch of bum-fluff? Rocket-scientists? Oh, and you want to be friends? Let me put it this way: I've met amoebas I'd rather befriend than you. Not because of our different cultures or the age-difference, but because you might possibly be the stupidest, most arrogant, and utterly spoilt human I've ever met. I'm sure Quentin would turn in his grave if he knew that something like you have come from his royal blood." She chuckled once more as Téa began to sputter incoherently, and then fixed the girl with a cold glare. "Now get out of my sight before I loose my temper."

Unable to form any logical thoughts in her current state of rage and shock, Téa did nothing but open and close her mouth soundlessly for a few seconds, then, with a high-pitched snort of affront, she turned and stormed out of the tent, no longer caring about the rain.

The men surrounding the now completely dead fire goggled at her as she came rushing out, but Téa didn't even notice their existence. Her pride had been completely beaten up, and all she wanted to do was scream and cry and stomp her feet until Rebecca gave in and apologized. But somewhere in her currently hazy mind, she realized that that wouldn't work. Not to mention the fact that the witch mistress still scared her.

She hated her! Rebecca had taken the control of this expedition from her, and was not only dangling it in front of her eyes like a carrot in front of a horse, but was also attacking her personally, just to make her authority even more palpable.

_A future queen shouldn't have to suffer through things like this!_

"Somethin' wrong, m'lady?"

Téa's head snapped up at the question, and she glared at the man whom had dared address her in her current state of mind. It was a pretty tall, broad-shouldered man with spiky black hair tied back in a ponytail. He was as far from handsome as one could come, with his staring eyes and angular face, and Téa felt a hint of repulsion along with the irritation. She hadn't been lying to Rebecca when she said the men were complaining. They _were_, and this man had somehow become their spokesman. Thus, as soon as he opened his ugly mouth, she knew there was some new complaint coming up.

"No!" She snapped at him and turned around to march over to her horse. "Everything is just peachy."

"Are you sure?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and a meaning glace at the rest of the men. "You seem a bit… _on edge _tonight? Sure there is nothing wrong? With the expedition or so?"

Ah, so he was fishing for flaws. Téa pulled her bag from the saddle on her horse's back, and turned back around with the most poisonous glare she could muster. She didn't have the energy for this right now.

"Like I said, everything is fine. There is no need for you to worry; everything is going just as planned."

"That's good to hear," the man smiled a fake smile. "Because, you know, if there was something wrong, there might be something we could do to help."

Téa snorted.

"Complete bullshit, as per usual," she hissed. "_If _there was something wrong, you would all hightail out of here as fast as your legs could carry you. You care about nothing but your payment."

"Well, since you brought it up…" the man said casually. "How _is _it going with our payment? Can we really be sure that you have the money?"

"You got a pretty hefty advance when we first hired you," Téa said coldly and sat down with her saddlebag in her lap. "We already agreed that you would get the rest when the mission was accomplished."

"But can we really be sure that you _have_ the money?" He asked stubbornly.

Téa sighed heavily as she pulled a new, dry blanket from her bag and wrapped it around herself. It had been the same ever since they left a week ago. The constant pestering about payment, the proof that they _could _pay them… it was driving her up the wall! Making a quick decision to end this tiring discussion right now, she looked up and met his gaze.

"Listen carefully, because I will only say this once," she said, and all the men leaned in closer to hear properly. She snorted inwardly; greedy pigs. "I don't have the money." Before any of them had the chance to realize what she had just said, she continued: "Our partner back in Domino have it."

"Partner?!" One of the men asked in bewilderment. "You've never mentioned any goddamned partner before!"

"That's because he would prefer to remain anonymous," Téa told him. "He's our partner, _and_ he's keeping an eye on the royal family for us, just to make sure nothing unpredicted happens. Like, for example… the prince's return. I guess you could call him our spy."

"And he knows exactly what we are doing," the man who had appointed himself as spokesman asked.

"Well…" Téa said. "He knows enough to take care of the financial part. I can assure you that he has more than enough money to pay you."

"How can we even be sure that this mystery partner exists?"

Téa sighed again. They were all so suspicious! Didn't they know that a lady never lied? Well… _almost_ never lied, anyway.

"I've been keeping contact with him ever since we left the city," she said and pulled a small bundle of letters out of her bag. She held it out for all of them to see. "I have a carrier-pigeon which have been flying back and forth, delivering reports from him. Look for yourselves; it's all in there."

Slowly the pony-tail man took the bundle and picked one letter to read. Téa was surprised he even _could_ read.

After a few minutes, during which everyone had gotten the chance to take a look at the letters, Téa got them back, and they all had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that it seemed to be a waterproof plan. Somewhat satisfied, they all lost interest in the subject; some went of to try and find an at least decently dry spot, other stayed by the dead fireplace, but started small conversations of their own.

Keith leaned in to whisper in Téa's ear:

"That was a risky thing to do. What if someone's figured out who Raven is?"

Téa glared lightly at him. 'Raven' was their partner's codename, but it felt ridiculous to call him that.

"As if these idiots have enough brainpower to do so," she snapped back. "Besides, I just wanted to shut them up about the money once and for all. Now we won't have to listen to their bitching anymore."

"No," Keith admitted. "Now, it's only your bitching we'll be hearing all day long. Not much of an improvement, if you as me."

Téa saw red. After slapping him hard over the back of his head once, she stood up and stalked of to leave her saddlebag by the horses again. Halfway there, she slipped and fell in a puddle of mud.

GOD, she _hated_ this!

* * *

Joey's sleep was shallow and filled with dark dreams. Growling shadows and glowing eyes slipped in and out of his brain. A deep voice hissed dirty words in his ear, mixing with his sister's broken screams, while calloused hands slid over his body like wet, cold snakes. They were a sharp contrast to the warm blood he was standing knee-deep in. He was unable to move, unable to stop it, as one hand slid down his back, lower… lower… 

And then he sat up in bed with cold sweat running down his face. The room was dark; the only light being the blue shine from the faint moon outside the window. In less than five seconds, he had thrown the sheets off of himself and stumbled over to the window. Joey gulped down cool night-air like a drowning man, sweat running down his forehead, and shaking hands steadying him on the edge of the circular window while the dream ran through his head. It took him a few minutes to realize that it had been nothing _but _a dream, and even then, it took him another fifteen minutes to calm down.

His heart was still beating fast when Joey remembered _why_ he had had the dream in the first place. His memories came back to him in a flash; the werewolves, Yugi and Ryou, Seto and the others, the battle…. On its own accord, his hand flew to his neck. The last thing he could remember was silently thanking the higher powers for making him breathe again. Anubis had obviously crushed something valuable with that kick. It was a miracle that he was even alive.

But now, as his hand examined the skin, he was surprised to feel nothing but just that; _skin_. No unevenness to indicate something broken, no soreness or bruises, not even a bandage! But he could have sworn that Anubis had almost killed him! There should be at least _something_!

Joey continued to trace the rest of his face with his hands: the scratches he had gotten from the werewolves' sharp nails were gone as well. As a matter of fact; over all… he felt fine! He didn't even have any delayed onset muscle soreness from all the running! But… why? How?

Joey turned around and inspected his surroundings. Obviously, he was back in the hollow mountain; it was dark, but he had been sleeping in this room for a little over a week now. He recognized the bed, the window, and the view outside of it. He was back.

Which meant Ryou and Yugi must be too! Seto would never have left them behind!

Relief washed over him at the thought, and for a moment, he forgot all about his mysterious healing: they had made it out of there, despite Joey's screw-up. And yet there was a part of him that needed to see his two friends with his own eyes. He couldn't relax, couldn't celebrate, until he knew for sure that they were safe.

The belt with his sword and its sheath was lying on a chair next to his bed, and after carefully securing it around his waist, Joey left the room in pursuit of someone, preferably Mokuba or Isis, who could tell him what had happened after his blackout. The tunnels were exactly as he remembered them; spacious and lit by torches, but it felt a little weird to be walking through them again. Even though it had probably only been a few days, at most, since he had last been here, it felt like such a long time ago.

Automatically, he first made his way to the room where he had been eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with Isis, and sometimes Yugi and Ryou, for a week. It felt weird to call it a kitchen or dining-room, but he guessed that was what it was. It was where he ate, wasn't it? Either way, no one was to be seen in there. (Not completely surprising; it was the middle of the night, everyone was probably asleep.)

With this in mind, Joey started walking in the direction of the closest library. _If _anyone was awake at this time of the night, _that_ was probably where they would be. But the library was deserted as well. There was a warm fire burning in the fireplace, (there always was; Joey highly suspected it was enchanted) and there were pillows strewn all over the floor, but there was no one in there. After further inspections of all the other libraries and other rooms, Joey came to the conclusion that he was the only one awake.

So he decided to just wander about until morning. He didn't want to wake anyone, and he really wasn't the least bit tired, so that seemed like the best alternative. Hey, he might even uncover some of the cave's great mysteries! (Joey didn't give damn if Mokuba said there were no great mysteries; caves like this couldn't _not_ hold great mysteries, damnit!)

But after a few hours, Joey had to admit that if there were any great mysteries in this cave, they were well hidden. He had gotten lost at least four times (didn't think much of it: in that place, one always found ones way sooner or later) and discovered a few new rooms, but that was it. Thus, by the time dawn rolled around, Joey was thoroughly bored.

Not really caring where his feet carried him, Joey fond himself at the cave-entrance just as the sun broke through at the horizon. He couldn't see the sun itself from here, but he could see the sky painted pink by the light. A pretty sight.

Almost as pretty as the large, snow-white dragon lying in the opening, undisturbed.

There was still a large part of Joey which was a huge dragon-fan, and now that part came out to play, as he watched the magnificent creature lying completely still with his eyes fixed on the sky. Despite his less than desirable personality, Joey had to admit that he'd never seen a dragon as handsome as Seto. Maybe it was because Seto was _real_, while all other dragons he had seen had been illustrations in books. Maybe it wasn't. He really didn't know.

What he _did_ know, was that Seto was slenderer than the dragons in the pictures. His scales were shinier, his wings more elegant, and his eyes deeper and sharper. Joey had always found dragons unbelievably beautiful and powerful in the pictures, but now he realized the books hardly made them justice. At this moment, lost in his own thoughts, Seto was the image of the power, beauty and wisdom his kind had been so famous for.

And then Joey suddenly realized that this was _Seto_ he was watching, and quickly snapped out of his contemplating. He knew for a fact that Seto wasn't wise; he was a jerk. Although he _had_ saved him in the cave… Maybe things would change now…

As if sensing his presence, Seto suddenly turned his head to look at Joey. He blinked once, in surprise, then a small smirk found its way to his mouth.

"So you chose to come back to the living, human? Nice to see."

Joey scoffed silently and took a few steps forward to stand side by side with the dragon.

"Knowing you, you're probably disappointed," he snapped and folded his arms. "It would have been one problem less for you, right?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Seto told him casually. "You're a problem, human, but hardly a big enough problem to cause me any trouble. You're more like… an irritating fly or something. I don't really care one way or the other."

For some reason, that line irritated Joey immensely.

"You really are the biggest pile of crap on the planet," he hissed and glared at Seto. The dragon simply smirked back.

"You're still young, human. In no position to make a judgement like that."

Gritting his teeth in anger, knowing full well that this was a discussion he wasn't going to win, Joey decided to change the subject instead.

"How're Yugi and Ryou?"

Surprisingly enough, Seto answered without any rude remarks.

"As fine as one can expect after such an experience. They didn't have any serious physical injuries, but they are shocked. They're down in the village, resting, and if I know their dear guardians right, Yami and Bakura aren't letting them out of their sight for even a second. Solomon was relieved to have them back, of course."

"That's good to hear," Joey muttered.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence for a moment, then Seto suddenly spoke up once more.

"I must say I'm pretty surprised," he said, and didn't meet Joey questioning gaze. "You didn't try to run away."

For a split second, Joey almost told him what had happened after their separation, but he decided not to. If anything, Seto would only use it against him.

"I told you I wouldn't," he muttered sullenly. "I never leave a friend behind."

"Are all humans as righteous as you?" Seto asked sarcastically. Joey met his gaze with a glare of his own.

"Are all dragons assholes?" He shot back.

Seto's eyes narrowed, but he had barely opened his mouth to reply when Isis came walking through one of the tunnels and spotted them. She hid a yawn behind her hand and smiled as she came over to stand in between them; Joey silently wondered if she did so to keep them from ripping each other's heads off. Figuratively speaking, of course.

"Joey! So good to see you're awake," she said softly and smiled at him. "We were worried for a while, but I knew you would make it. Sorry for not being there when you woke up, but healing demands a lot of energy, and I almost always have to go to bed afterwards."

"It's okay," Joey said, and now he remembered why he had been wandering around in the first place! Stupid Seto and his ability to make him forget things! "What happened?"

"Well," Isis said and shot Seto a sidelong glace. "According to master Seto, you passed out after Anubis crushed you throat. He had to use an air-spell so that you wouldn't die before I could heal you. It was a close call, but he managed to get you here just in time. You've been asleep for a day."

Joey shot Seto a surprised look, but the dragon didn't meet it. Seto did all that for him? Wow, he had figured that the dragon would simply stand aside and watch if he got in a situation like that. But according to Isis, Seto saved his life!

…_He w__as indebted to his worst enemy!? SHIT!_

"As for the werewolves…" Isis eyes grew dark and she shot Seto a glance.

"We killed them," he said bluntly. "Every single one of them. They won't be able to harm anyone anymore."

That sounded good to Joey. The bastards had deserved it!

"So that's the end of this story, then?" He asked.

"Looks like it," Isis agreed and turned to leave them. "I have to send a message to Yugi and Ryou; they've been worried about you, Joey. Oh, and Joey?" She turned around in the opening to the tunnel, and smiled that mysterious smile of hers. "Solomon is arranging a party tomorrow night, to honour all of you for saving the boys. You're invited as the guest of honour."

Seto rolled his eyes.

"Solomon takes every chance he gets to arrange a party."

"Can you blame him?" Isis asked with a smile. "After all: we haven't had much to celebrate in the last twenty years."

And then she turned around and walked off, leaving the human and dragon alone once more. Joey turned back around and looked at the now almost blue sky.

"Sooo…" he said carefully. "A party… and I'm invited."

"Don't pee yourself in excitement," Seto deadpanned.

Joey shot him a quick glare, but didn't bother with him. His mood had improved a lot at the news. Joey liked parties, and couldn't wait to see more of Yugi's and Ryou's village. The fact that he was the guest of honour also helped a lot. But there was just one thing…

"What the hell am I going to wear?!"

* * *

The village was buzzing with life on the night of the feast. On the day of Joey's all too brief visit, most people had been asleep or busy with their chores. This night, however, everyone were present, dressed in their best robes, and a scent of excitement seemed to be hanging in the air. Joey realized Seto must've been right when he said they didn't arrange these kinds of parties often. 

Three long tables had been placed in a big triangle around the huge fireplace burning in the middle of the village. Smaller torches had been stuck into the ground everywhere, giving the whole village a kind of yellow, cosy glow. Young men and women were running around everywhere, putting plates on the tables and making other arrangements, all the while talking and laughing in excitement.

Joey, Seto, Mokuba and Isis arrived just as the sun was setting, and Joey looked around in wonderment at the lively village. The suppressed excitement hanging in the air easily spread, and Joey found it hard to stand still. Not only was it the first time he was _officially_ let out of the cave, but it was also his first chance to spend time with other _humans_, not to mention having a good time! The slight nervousness he felt at meeting all these new people only made it even better.

"Remember," Seto scolded him quietly as they landed, and he let go of Joey, (while Mokuba and Isis had the privilege of riding on his back, Joey had to settle for being carried around like doll.) "I'm only letting you out because this whole entertainment is dedicated to you; _not_ because I want you to be here, or anything! You are _not_ going to speak to me, you will _not_ complain when I say it's time to return to the cave, and you _will_ keep a low profile, and act mature."

"Stop it with the whole mom-act, lizard-boy," Joey snapped and glared up at him. "It might work on Mokuba, but I don't give a rat's ass about your orders."

"Stop it, both of you!" Isis told them gently. "You'll have plenty of time to argue any other time. We're here tonight to have a good time."

"Yeah, and I know you're gonna love it, Joey!" Mokuba promised him, all the while jumping up and down in excitement. Isis had to jump out of the way so that she wouldn't be hit by his flailing tail. "Everyone here is really nice, and you'll feel like home, I just know it!"

"Of course I will," Joey assured him with a smile, and then turned and glared at his older brother. "So leave me alone!" And with that, he made his way across the street. He'd spotted Yugi, with Yami on his shoulder, a few cottages away, and took the first chance he could get to get away from Mr Dragon-with-a-stick-up-his-ass. Mokuba followed him with bouncing steps.

As he crossed the street in pursuit of his shorter friend, Joey walked passed a group of girls who were folding a pair of table-linens. He could feel their eyes on him as he passed, and heard them whisper excitedly amongst themselves:

"Who is that?"

"Is that the human prince Ryou were talking about?"

"The one who saved Yugi and him from the werewolves?"

"Oh, he's gorgeous!"

"Shush, he might hear you!"

Joey couldn't help but grin. Sure, he wasn't interested in girls, but it was still nice to know people appreciated his looks in innocent idolization like that. Not like Anubis…

He ruthlessly pushed those thoughts away as soon as they appeared. He was _not_ going to think of that tonight! Maybe sometime in the future, when it didn't make him feel cold inside, he'd bring that memory out to analyze and work through, but not right now. The wound was still too fresh.

"Yugi!" He called as soon as the boy was within earshot, and the younger boy's face lit up as he turned around and spotted Joey and Mokuba.

"Hey, you're here! Good!" He greeted warmly. "Joey, it's good to see that you're okay. We were worried."

Joey smiled. He hadn't seen the others since he woke up; Yugi and Ryou were still recovering, it seemed, and Joey himself had been grateful for the chance to rest before the feast. But it was still good to see them again now, even if Isis and Mokuba had assured him that they were fine.

"Very worried," Yami agreed, and Joey could have sworn that the black hawk smiled at him. "Even Seto."

"Really?" Joey laughed, honestly surprised at the last comment. "Isis told me _you _were, but I'd never have guessed that oversized reptile cared for anyone. It's good to see you too. How are you feeling?"

"Better now," Yugi admitted, ignoring the stab at Seto. They all knew about the rivalry between the prince and the dragon, and found it best to stay out of it. "Knowing they'll never be able to do something like that to anyone again helps a lot."

Even as he said it, a sad shadow lingered in his eyes, and Joey realized that despite everything, Yugi felt sorry for the werewolves. No surprise there, really; Yugi was the type of guy who felt compassion for everyone, even if they didn't deserve it. The though made Joey smile, and he reached out to touch the boy's shoulder in consolation. Yugi's eyes met his, and they smiled in understanding.

"We'll talk more later," Yami said softly and made a gesture with his wing in the direction of the fireplace. "I think Solomon's speech is about to start in a few moments."

"I think you're right," Yugi laughed and dragged Joey with him over to the bon-fire. "Come on. Grandpa will scold both of us if we're not there to listen to his speech. Never mind the fact that I was just kidnapped, and you're the one who saved me! Missing one of his speeches is unforgivable!"

"Better brace yourself," Mokuba warned him cheerfully. "Knowing Solomon, he's probably written down a long speaking about your heroic salvation of his grandson, and all your noble virtues and so on and so on. It'll probably be highly embarrassing, and extremely boring."

Joey groaned loudly and turned to run the other way, but Yugi kept a firm grip on his arm, and kept hauling him towards the fire, where everyone were already gathering, paying no heed to his pleading and whining. Mokuba trailed behind them, laughing happily.

* * *

Mokuba was right. 

After a long, and slightly embarrassing (on Joey's part) speech by Solomon, the feast could finally begin for real. A few of the adolescents hauled out instruments; guitars, flutes, maracas, violins and different kinds of drums, and began playing a fast and beautiful song with a good beat. People gathered around the fire to dance, or watch the ones dancing, and Joey found himself surrounded by curious males and females of all ages, who wanted to hear about his heroic rescue. No matter how many times Joey told them the truth; that he would have been just as screwed as Yugi and Ryou if Seto, Yami, Bakura and Marik hadn't showed up, people kept their interest in him, and after an hour or so, the conversation switched from the miraculous save to his life prior to the abduction.

That is until a curvy blonde woman made her way through the crowd, grabbed Joey and hauled him to his feet.

"Let's dance, tiger," Mai, the healer, purred and dragged him of to the fire, paying no attention to the protests from Joey's human questionnaires. Before the young prince had the chance to protest, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and stated swaying to the beat, Joey having no choice but to follow suit.

"Sorry for dragging you of like that," Mai told him with a seductive smile. "I just figured you needed a break by now. They're really curious about you, aren't they?"

"I guess," Joey answered. "They don't get out much, do they?"

Mai laughed and smiled at him again.

"Oh, sure they do. We're not entirely isolated, you know. We visit other villages outside the forest now and again. They're just excited because they've never met a real prince before." She slipped in even closer, and smiled again. Joey had seen that look on a few court ladies' faces at home. Tristan called it "the bedchamber-look". "Especially such a handsome one," Mai finished in a purr.

"Eh…" a bit put out, Joey took a nervous step back. How come she made him so nervous, when he had put up with Téa's not-so-subtle hints for so long without problem? "I like guys."

_What?!_ Where the hell had that come from?! He'd just blurted out one of his most well-guarded secrets to a complete stranger? One who was _coming on_ to him, no less! What the hell had he been thinking!?

But to Joey's great surprise, Mai simply threw her head back and laughed. It was a beautiful sound. Joey could see why people would be attracted to this woman.

"Aw, honey," Mai said as soon as she had managed to calm down. "I already knew that. I'm just feeling you up a little, to see how far I could go before you snapped. Just innocent playing."

"You know?!" Joey squeaked in disbelief. "How the hell can you know that?!"

Mai smirked. Even her smirk was seductive. Joey was wondering if everything she did was seductive.

"Sweetie," Mai told him gently. "Call it a woman's intuition. I have certain… _alleles _that tell me if a man's interested or not. And if you're not interested in _me…_ then you have to like men."

Joey blinked at her. For a moment he thought she was kidding, but when she showed no signs of laughing, he realized she was dead serious.

"Oh," was all he could get out.

"That's the reaction I get most of the time."

"So you did that just to…" Joey suddenly glared at her sullenly. "That was a really bitchy thing to do. Almost sexual harassments."

"I guess you could say that," Mai said and smiled at him. This time there was nothing seductive about it. Just a friendly smile. "I'm sorry. I just can't help myself sometimes. It's always fun to ruffle men's feathers. Especially the cute ones." She winked at him, and Joey found himself rolling his eyes and laughing at the same time. It looked like he had made another good friend tonight.

* * *

The rest of the evening went by the same way. After finishing their dance, Joey and Mai rejoined the group they had left earlier; Joey once again ready to answer questions. After another hour, food was carried out onto the tables by a group of women, and everyone was more than happy to hog some of the delicious steak, the juicy bread and fruits, and the wonderful cake as dessert. Joey didn't know why, but for some reason, this food was far more delicious than the food he had gotten every day at home. Ryou told him it was probably because it was cooked as naturally as possible, but Joey knew the real reason: the high spirits and good mood all around the tables made everything so much better- food included. Everyone was talking and laughing together; dragon with human, old with young, man with woman… it made Joey feel home and secure. Even if the entertainments home in Domino were very pleasant, they were never as laid-back and friendly as this one. 

Joey never wanted it to end.

After dinner the dancing continued. Joey, Yugi and Mokuba almost died laughing as Ryou, in a flash on inspiration, dragged a protesting Bakura out amongst the other dancers and practically forced him to dance. After almost ten minutes of tugging and dragging on Ryou's part, Bakura finally gave in. Changing to his alter-form, he draped both arms around Ryou and grudgingly started rocking back and forth, pointedly ignoring their friends' howling. Despite the fact that Bakura was at least twice as tall as him, Ryou snuggled into the magic wolf's furry stomach and sighed happily. Bakura didn't protest as much after that.

Seto spent the entire night laying a little aside, simply watching the feast, never really participating in anything other than conversation. He seemed perfectly happy like that though; Joey had noticed his eyes were softer than usual; he seemed more relaxed, and was talking to practically anyone who went over to join him at the sidelines. People were obviously used to the large dragon, and treated him as a part of the family; talking to him, laughing with him… hell, a few kids even dared climbing onto his back without Seto protesting. He actually seemed to enjoy it.

Not that Joey was watching him, though!

Around midnight, a tension in his nether regions told Joey that it was time to excuse himself for a moment. After asking Yugi where he could go to relieve himself, Joey almost reluctantly left the group and the current discussion (about different kinds of magic; mostly hosted by Yugi, Ryou, Isis and Mai, but other people were involved in the conversation as well) and walked of in the direction Yugi had pointed out. He really needed to pee!

A few minutes later, a much more relieved Joey headed back to the camp, completely set on returning to his friends.

"Having a good time?"

Joey spun around and looked up at the voice, only to see Marik lying on one of the larger trees' branches with his hands behind his head, and a bored look on his face. His violet eyes were fixed on the village.

"Marik!" Joey exclaimed, completely taken by surprise. He hadn't spared the last werewolf a single thought since he had woken up, and now he almost felt guilty for it. After all; if it hadn't been for Marik, neither he, nor Yugi and Ryou would have been here tonight, and they'd hardly have a reason to celebrate. "I… I didn't know you were still here. I thought you'd left."

"Your little friends persuaded me to stay," Marik told him in a bored tone. "As thanks for saving their lives or something. And I have nowhere else to go, so…" he trailed of and sighed again. Joey frowned. Even though the werewolf tried to look bored and aloof, there was something with him that seemed so… sad.

Joey could guess why. Maybe Marik had hated his pack, but they had still been _his pack_. Of course he would mourn them.

Joey studied his face, and came to a shocking conclusion; now that he was truly _looking_ at the other, he could see how young Marik seemed to be. Especially in his current position, and with that expression. He couldn't be much older than Joey himself!

"Why are you sitting here?" Joey asked, suddenly feeling a sting of compassion for the young werewolf. "That party's for you too, you know. We would never have been able to save Yugi and Ryou without you. Hell, we wouldn't even know where they were."

Marik chuckled bitterly.

"You really are a righteous little bastard, aren't you?" He asked, but without any kind of malice. "I'm a werewolf too, you know. I'm just like them… like Anubis. I know what he did to you." Their eyes met, and Joey refused to look away, even though the mere mention of that name made him shiver. "I've always been one of them up until now. I've killed… I've tortured. The same blood floats in my veins. So why are you being so nice to me?"

Joey smirked lightly at him,

"Because I'm an incorrigible optimist and I believe that soul and actions weight heavier than blood and background," he answered firmly. "Now get you ass down here, and go over there, so everyone can show their gratitude properly. If I had to suffer through an entire speech from Yugi's grandfather, the least you can do is introduce yourself."

Marik blinked at him once; the only sign that he was surprised. They stared at each other for a long moment; violet meeting brown, and then, at last, Marik snorted in amusement and jumped from the branch, landing silently beside Joey. Their gazes met once more, and Marik gave him a crooked smile.

"You really are a one of a kind, aren't you, human?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"My friends call me Joey," Joey answered simply.

Another short silence, then Marik walked passed him and headed for the village.

"I can see why the dragon wants to keep you here," he called over his shoulder. "You make things interesting… Joey."

Joey didn't care to answer him. He just smiled a little, and followed behind him.

He had only taken one single step when Marik's words made him aware of something.

_The dragon wants to keep you here…_

That was true. But Seto… wasn't paying attention to him at the moment. Seto was preoccupied with other things, just like everyone else. He probably hadn't noticed when Joey went of to pee. And he certainly wouldn't notice if he stayed away a while longer. Or the rest of the night… or forever…

Possibilities raced passed each other in Joey's head. At the werewolf caves, he had stayed because his friends were in danger. Because he'd never leave them behind. But they weren't in danger anymore: they were safe, and even if they would be sad if he left, they would understand why he disappeared. They knew how important family was.

Yes, if he ran now, Seto wouldn't have the slightest idea where to look. He'd get a great head start. And if he succeeded… he'd finally get to see his family again. It had been almost two weeks since his disappearance… they were probably sick with worry, exhausted from looking day and night for him.

Joey's heart ached at the very thought of his beloved mother and sister. They had already lost a father and husband… they couldn't loose a brother and son too! Wasn't it worth it, if Seto, against all odds, _did_ find him? Wasn't it worth the risk of the dragons rage?

The answer, of course, was yes.

And at the same time… Joey took a good look at the village; Marik had already reached it and Joey couldn't see him anymore. The village radiated light, and he could hear laughter and music coming from it. Even now, he could feel the warmth everyone in it held for each other- even him; a stranger. There was a part of him which didn't really want to leave that. A part which wanted to get even more involved with the people, become one of them. A part which was growing stronger every day. And guilt was ripping him to pieces because of that part; he couldn't turn his back on his family just because he found something else he liked! They meant more to him than that!

They meant more… they _had _to mean more! Serenity… his mom… his grandfather… Tristan… Duke…

Joey took a deep breath, took one last look at the village, and turned around, facing the dark forest instead. He let the memories of his family fill him; pushing aside the pictures of all his new friends. They were more important!

And then, for the first time in his life, Joey walked away from people he cared about.

**Remember how I said I'd update when I had the time and energy? **

**I DID NOW! Finally, finally, finally done! Friggin bitch-chapter, this was! And LONG too! And nothing really happened! I understand if you're disappointed with such an uneventful chapter after last one, but it's necessary! The tempo's gonna pick up soon again, I promise! **

**Wohooo! 37 reviews for last chap! I'm such a happy bunny right now! Thank you soooo much, reviewers! And LONG reviews too! I like long. Long's great, on so many levels! n.n**

**But you know, you've spoilt me now, so I'm expecting many reviews for this chapter too (even if it's boring!) and will get sad if I don't get any… TT**

**SO REVIEW!!!!!**

**Oh, and can anyone guess who Téa's and Keith's spy is? I won't tell, but I'd like to hear what you people think! So there a little mystery to solve in all this as well. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!**

**Okay, I'm dead tired! Time's 23.45, and I have school tomorrow, so until next time!**

**R&R!!!! **


	10. A deal

Chapter nine: A deal

When Joey had left the village behind and walked of into the forest, there were some things he hadn't added to the equation. Like the fact that this was the friggin' largest forest in the world! Or that it would be pitch black in it at night! Honestly, he could barely see his hand as he held it out in front of him; the only light coming from the moon, which was barely visible above the thick crowns of trees.

Joey had to suppress a shiver. He wasn't scared of the dark- never had been- but there was something really spooky about this place. For thousands of years, this forest had had the time to grow thicker, darker and larger than any other. Who knew what kind of terrible, mysterious things had happened in here without anyone ever finding out. One could hide a body in here, and no one would be the wiser. And Joey had heard stories of this wood. Haunted… full of old spirits longing for the eternal rest… and even if Joey wasn't afraid of the dark, he just couldn't handle ghosts! His hand kept twitching in the direction of his sword.

Thank god he had his sword!

Suddenly a root came in the way of his foot, and the next thing Joey knew, he fell to the damp ground with a starlet 'oof!' and hit his knee on a sharp stone. Blinking back tears of pain, and cursing loudly at the same time, he shook his hair out of his eyes and slowly rose again. His knee hurt badly!

He fucking hated this forest!

"Think of Serenity," he hissed between gritted teeth. "Think of mom and grandpa and the guys. They'll be happy to see me. It'll be worth it when I see them again."

He kept on muttering things like that as he continued to walk. Thankfully, the position of the moon led him in the right direction, so at least he didn't have to worry about getting lost.

An hour and a half went by without any out-of-the-ordinary events. Joey tripped a few more times, but fortunately managed to stay on his feet. His knee stung, but he kept on walking, the thoughts of his family stubbornly stuck in his head. The only sounds in the whole forest were his own footsteps and a twig breaking as he stepped in it now and again. The silence was unnerving; as if the place wasn't creepy enough without it! A forest wasn't supposed to be quiet. It was supposed to be buzzing with life.

Once again, Joey's thoughts led him back to the subject of spirits and ghosts, but he quickly aimed them in another direction. He was already skittish as it was- he didn't need any more reasons to freak out.

Some higher power, which held a strong dislike for Joey, must have heard that thought and decided to get back at him for something he'd done in another life, because suddenly something moved in a bush a few metres away and hissed threateningly. Joey jumped back and would've shrieked like a little girl if it wasn't for the fact that he had been paralyzed by fear; body unmoving, and eyes large as saucers staring at the moving, hissing bush.

Something black- so black it actually contrasted the dark shadows in the forest rather strongly- moved among the leaves, and a pair of glowing red eyes opened and met Joey's own.

To encounter a pair of glowing red eyes in a deep forest at midnight… _Is. Not. good_!

Joey swallowed the fear bubbling in his throat, reminding himself that he had to breathe in order to survive. He couldn't move; aside from the violent shaking, his legs refused to obey him. Despite his panicked orders to run like hell, they stood frozen. His heart beat like a sledgehammer, and his eyes were glued to the red ones.

"Y… Yami?" Joey called weakly; the hope that it really was the hawk was as thin as his voice. "I-i- is that y-you?"

An angry hiss told him that no, it was not Yami, and then the creature stepped out of the shrubs, giving Joey a chance to see what it really was.

Oh god, why couldn't it have been a ghost?

A huge, black monster was standing in front of Joey, hissing maliciously and crouching down, ready to attack at any moment. It looked like… well; it looked like a unicorn, despite the obvious differences. Joey had only seen a real unicorn once in his life, when he was five. It had been a gift for his parents; to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. He remembered that they had released it a few days afterwards, telling Joey that true beauty only could be found in free creatures.

There was nothing beautiful with this… this abnormality! Sure, it looked like a unicorn; like a slender horse with a long, twirled horn at its forehead, and a lion's tail instead of a horse's, but that was where the similarities ended. The unicorn Joey had seen in his youth had been a pearly white, so beautiful one wanted to cry. This one was black like… Joey had never seen anything so black. It even seemed to have an aura of pulsating, dark malice around it, which only made it all the more terrifying.

Looking into those red eyes felt like looking into hell's most scorching fires, not at all like the pure, heavenly blue orbs the white unicorn had had. The hissing this one emitted sounded like a snakes, and when it opened its mouth, a long, forked tongue darted out too lick around the flaring nostrils. Instead of unicorn-hooves, it had paws, with long, crooked claws, completely designed to slit a victim open.

And in this case, the victim was, apparently, Joey.

Still completely frozen in fear, Joey's hand moved on its own accord to grab his swords-handle. Even in a situation like this, his instincts were strong, and right now, they told him to armour himself, because this creature was _not_ a friend.

Even as he slowly started to retreat, being careful as to where he put his feet so he wouldn't trip again, and keeping his eyes fixed on those blood red ones, Joey cursed his bad luck. Of course _he'd_ be the one to run into something like this! Someone up there definitely didn't like him! Or didn't want him to leave Seto and the others. Same thing, really!

The black unicorn hissed again and bent its legs even more; lowering itself in a position Joey had seen tomcats do many times on the castle backyard, right before a facedown. The resemblance was the only warning he got: he barely managed to dodge as the vicious monster attacked, almost slicing his arm of with its claws.

Suddenly the stiffness he had been experiencing mere moments before was gone, and Joey found instinct taking over completely. Dodging to the side he lashed out and tried to strike the unicorn's side, but it was a lot faster than him, and instead of meeting with the soft flesh he had expected, his eyes met red.

Digging his heels into the ground to stop his own attack, Joey tried to steer to the side. This time, however, he wasn't fast enough. The unicorn lashed out.

And Joey could do nothing but scream in pain as its long, sharp horn penetrated his skin and went straight through his right arm.

Once again acting on instinct, Joey quickly switched his sword over to his other hand, and with as much strength as he could muster, drove the blade into the unicorn's forehead, right beside the horn. It hissed in pain and pulled back, violently wrenching the sword out of its head, and its horn out of Joey's arm at the same time. Moaning, Joey stumbled back and landed on the ground, gripping his throbbing arm and desperately trying to keep the fog caused by pain from overwhelming his mind.

Warm blood gushed out between his fingers despite his tries to stop it, and a strange shiver travelled from the deep wound up his arm and through his spine.

Trying to stop his spinning mind, Joey looked up and tried to focus on the wild monster that was his attacker. The unicorn stood a few metres away with blood sliding down its face, the eyes fixed on Joey with burning hatred. It panted heavily, and was swaying a little, but showed no other signs of being hurt. Joey felt cold dread spread in his body; the wound he had inflicted had been deep. The unicorn should be dying!

But instead, he could see how the injury glowed a little and with the help pf magic quickly started to heal. Within the span of thirty seconds the creature stood up straight again, the hurt completely healed.

Shit.

He couldn't win this.

Trying very hard to ignore his spinning head and useless arm, Joey scrambled to his feet, turned and ran. There was nothing else he could do if he wanted to survive this. He tore through the forest without a single thought of where he was going; not knowing what he should do now. He could hear the unicorn's hissing, and the sound of its paws against the ground behind him. He knew it was only a matter of time before it caught up with him.

Desperate for a chance to gain some distance between them, Joey made a sharp turn to the left, dodged under a fallen tree and jumped over a small creek. He didn't dare throw a look over his shoulder to see if it had helped; if he tripped now, he was dead. All he could do was hope that the manoeuvre had worked.

But something strange was happening inside Joey as he ran. His heart had beat like mad, both in fear and because of the effort, but now it stated to slow down. Not as if he was calming down, but as if his blood became thicker; harder to pump. Joey himself didn't notice it; all he noticed was that his breaths were coming even shorter than they should, that his legs suddenly felt a lot heavier, and that he couldn't feel his wounded arm anymore.

A hoarse scream cut through the air, and next thing Joey knew, something heavy landed on his back and pushed him to the ground. Long, sharp nails ripped his shirt and dug deep into the skin on his back, and Joey screamed. He tried to call for help, but he couldn't get any air into his lungs; the weight on his back made it a lot harder to breathe.

Warm blood trickled down his back and sides, and his mind was floating in pure agony. All of his martial arts knowledge abandoned him now, and as he felt panic and desperation seep into his mind and body, Joey shot out with the sword in his hand in a vain attempt to get his attacker off. To his great surprise, the long claws disappeared and he could feel the paws leave his body. For two glorious seconds, Joey could breathe again!

But then strong jaws, with sharp teeth in them, closed around his left shoulder, and Joey was literally heaved of the ground and hurled through the air. For a few second it felt as if he was flying, but then he hit a tree and slipped to the ground, just as loose-jointed as a rag doll. He had dropped the sword when the unicorn lifted him.

Joey's head spun like a carousel, and his body was so heavy he could barely move it anymore, but he still managed to raise his throbbing head somewhat and look at the creature as it slowly walked closer, stopping right if front of him.

For a second, dazed brown eyes met evil red ones, and everything was still. Then the unicorn raised one of its forelegs and pressed it to Joey's shoulder, keeping him in place on the ground. The sharp nails bit into his flesh again, but this time Joey couldn't even feel how his blood slipped down his arm and hand. His captor lowered its head a little, so they were eye to eye, and opened its mouth in a low hiss. A foul breath hit Joey in the face, but he couldn't feel it. His consciousness was slipping away fast.

But then his vision cleared somewhat in shock as the unicorn was lifted of the ground and thrown away from him. And he almost snapped out of it completely as _something _took a deep, deep breath beside him, and the next moment hurled a wave of blue fire, hotter than hell, straight at the creature.

Thanks to this unexpected turn of evens, Joey's mind managed to sort itself out a little, and he could see and hear the black unicorn burn to death, barely twenty metres away. The screams were horrible. A few trees caught fire, and the flames spread quickly, but a dark voice from beside him murmured something Joey couldn't catch, and they died instantly. The unicorn was lying still on the ground; nothing but a scorched corpse left.

Even as Joey kept staring at the smoking remains, a large agile body with wings and white scales stepped into his line of vision. Seto didn't even look at him; just walked over to the body, and stopped, staring intently at it for a long moment.

Joey had just opened his mouth to make his presence known to the seemingly oblivious dragon, when he saw something that nearly made him black out in shock.

_**T**__**he fucking corpse was fucking moving!!!**_

And not small twitches either! It was fucking trying to stand up, and the burnt skin was quickly healing over!

"Holy sh-" Joey rasped out, but never managed to finish that curse, since Seto, as soon as he saw the movements, grabbed the dark unicorn's head with one paw, and the body with the other, and then, quickly, ripped them from one another.

Carelessly, he threw the head in one direction and the body in another, completely ignoring the blood and the twitching, and then, finally, turned around to face Joey.

Who was standing on all fours, puking his guts out.

Seto sighed softly and moved closer.

"Are you alright?"

Joey lifted his head and looked at him with blood-shot eyes.

"What kind of fucking question is that?!" He gasped. Seto lowered his head a little to glare him in the eye.

Yeah, glare.

"You should be nicer to someone who just saved your life," he growled. "Especially after your little escape attempt."

Joey looked away, partly because Seto's gaze was so piercing, and partly because he felt a little ashamed, knowing Seto was right.

"Can… can we take this discussion at a time when I'm _not_ half dead?" He asked mainly to change the subject, and tried to stand up. Seto raised his head again, and looked down on him with cold eyes.

"Let's just go back."

Relieved that the dragon had let it go so fast, Joey got to his knees and tried to stand back up.

Only to fall right back down to his knees, squeezing his eyes shut and holding his injured arm, which was hurting worse than ever. He couldn't stop the pained moan that slipped from his lips.

"What's wrong?" Seto was back immediately, actually looking worried, but Joey was in too much pain to be surprised or even care. His head was spinning again, and his whole body felt as if it was burning. And his heart was beating hard, but slow.

"M-my arm…" he managed to gasp, and then curled up in a small ball. The agony was spreading throughout his whole body, and he just wanted it to go away.

He heard Seto curse softly above him, and felt a gentle pair of claws grip his arm and hold it out so Seto could get a better look. The sharp digits didn't mar his skin, but he still screamed and tried to tear his arm away. He didn't want anyone to touch him. But Seto held him still.

"Did you get that from the horn?" He asked, referring to the hole in the blonde's arm. "Joey?"

His head was swimming; he couldn't decide which was up and which was down anymore, but somehow, he still managed to catch Seto's question and nod weakly in reply.

"Shit!" Seto sounded really worried now, and finally let go of Joey's arm. The blond quickly curled up in a little ball of agony. "We have to get you to water, fast!"

Joey was so lost in his pain he almost didn't notice as Seto suddenly lifted him of the ground, with paws as gentle as a mother's hands. He almost didn't recognize the blast of air which caressed his face as the dragon took flight and headed of in an unknown direction.

"What…" he managed to pant out, "what was that… that… thing?"

Surprisingly, Seto answered him right away.

"They're called negative unicorns," he told Joey. "They're created when a real unicorn is killed for unjustly purposes. I guess you could call it the unicorn's ghost. They are extremely dangerous; lives solely to destroy and kill, and their regenerative powers make them almost immortal. But they can't re-create torn of limps, so the best way of finally killing them is tearing them apart."

"Just my luck to run into one of those," Joey murmured. He was so tired… his heart was beating faintly now, and his eyelids were heavy. It'd be so easy to just fall asleep. Seto wouldn't mind, would he?

"Undeniably, you _do_ seem to be able to attract quite a lot of attention, human," Seto answered him matter-of-factly. "I don't know whether you're unlucky to get into so many dangerous situations, or if you're lucky to have survived them all."

No answer.

"Human? Joey, are you awake?"

"…"

"_Joey!_" And to really emphasise Seto shook him a few times. Hard!

"I'm up!" Joey called groggily, his head spinning.

"Stay awake! Keep talking to me!" Seto ordered him sharply. "Keep asking me questions or whatever. Just for a few more moments."

Joey frowned in irritation. Figures; Seto hated talking to him, but once he shut up, he was ordered to keep it going. Stupid jerkish dragon and his stupid leader-obsession and unreliable mood-swings.

"Why did you come after me?" Joey muttered.

"Because I knew you'd get yourself killed, and even if I wouldn't mind, Mokuba and the others like you… for some reason."

"Asshole," Joey choked out. He couldn't feel his legs anymore. "Seto, I'm tired… I'm just gonna take a short nap…"

"Oh, not you don't!" Seto snapped at him, and suddenly, they had landed, without Joey even noticing. Carefully, he was lowered to the ground, and Seto positioned him so that he was leaning back against a tree. Then he turned and walked away.

With a huge effort Joey raised his head and watched what the dragon was doing. He was too tired to care, but Seto had told him to stay awake. And the only way for him to stay awake was by concentrating on something.

Seto hadn't gone far; he was standing a few metres away, by the edge of a small creek. He made some kind of gesture with his hand, and a goblet appeared in it. Joey then watched how he lowered the goblet, dipped it in the stream and filled half of it. And then he did something that would have made Joey gasp in surprise, had he been in his right state of mind.

He placed one claw to his neck and made a cut. Not big enough to actually hurt or cause any damage, but just the right size to make it bleed a little. He caught five or six drops of blood on one claw, and then dipped them in the water, mixing the two together.

"_Agua vitae_" Seto whispered softly, and even in his hazy condition, Joey could feel the small surge of magic. The goblet glowed blue for a moment, and then behaved like a normal goblet again. Seto, apparently satisfied with his little experiment, returned to Joey with it still in hand.

The dragon hooked one claw behind Joey's neck carefully, and tilted his head back, so that he was looking up at him.

"Drink this," Seto ordered.

But Joey didn't want to drink it. He was too tired; just wanted to sleep. Besides, whatever it was Seto had made, it couldn't be good! So as Seto held the cup to his lips, Joey pressed them together and tried to squirm out of his hold.

Impatiently, Seto frowned and fixed him with a cold glare.

"Listen, moron!" he snapped. "That horn that impaled your arm is poisonous to anyone who touches it. You'll be dead within an hour if you don't get a cure, and the _cure_ is either this, or an amputated arm. It's your choice. Although I must say I've had enough of truncations for the night, I will help you if you think that that is the better alternative."

Upon hearing these words, Joey woke up a little, realizing it was the poison which was making him so tired. Reluctantly he admitted to himself that Seto was right, and finally opened his mouth, letting Seto pour the strange mix into it carefully, and swallowing obediently. Once he had drunk all of it, Seto put the goblet aside and gently let him fall back against the tree-trunk.

Five seconds later he was, for the second time that night, standing on all fours, coughing and hacking wildly, almost ready to lick the ground.

He had never, in his whole life, tasted anything so foul!

"What the fuck was that?!" He managed to choke out. Seto smirked.

"Blood and water," he answered smugly. "Those are the two liquids of life. Mixed together in the right way, they can cure almost anything."

"It was disgusting! You could have warned me!"

"And missed the pleasure of seeing you choke on your own tongue? I don't think so." Seto looked down on him again, still with the same smirk on his face. "Feeling better?"

Joey sat up in his knees and pulled in a few deep breaths. The disgusting taste still lingered on his tongue, but he was already feeling better. His strength was coming back fast, and even if his arm still hurt, the agony he had been in before had vanished. Now, with his mind clearing up, Joey realized just how close he had been to dying.

"Yeah," he answered softly.

"Good."

The next thing Joey knew, he was once again lifted into the air. The grip was far from gentle this time, and it hurt his sore back a little as Seto raised him so their eyes were at the same level, staring at him with burning anger.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" He asked sharply. "_Were_ you thinking?! I knew you weren't the fastest horse in the race, but I certainly didn't think you were this stupid! Don't you realize that running of into an unknown forest in the middle of the night is dangerous?! Did you honestly think I wouldn't find you?! What were you thinking, you stupid moron?!"

"Hey," Joey snapped at him, a little worried that the dragon would drop him; he had been shaking him in time with each sentence, to get his point across even clearer. "Stop it, would you?! You're not my mother, and don't try for a second to make me think that you care! As for what I was thinking… what did you think I was gonna do?! I'm not some pet, I told you I'd try to escape, and I'll take any chance I can get!"

"Is it worth getting yourself killed?!"

"The fuck do you care! And yeah, it _is!_ If someone was keeping you from Mokuba and the others, wouldn't _you_ try to get back to them?!"

Seto faltered for only a second, and Joey knew he had hit a nerve.

"That's not the point!"

"Then what the hell _is_ the point?! They're my family! You don't think they mean as much to me as Mokuba does to you?! And we wouldn't even have gotten into this situation if you had just gotten over your stubborn paranoia and let me go!"

"We wouldn't be _in_ this situation if you weren't such an incorrigible airhead!" Seto snapped with a glare. Joey glared right back.

After at least ten minutes of angry staring, Seto sighed and dropped Joey to the ground, ignoring the squeak of surprise the human emitted as he hit it.

"This is pointless," he snapped and turned around, walking back over to the stream to wash his paws; they were covered in the negative unicorn's blood.

"Stupid, asshole lizard-boy," Joey muttered and got to his feet again. Even if his strength had returned, his wounds hadn't healed, and he really needed to clean them. Therefore, he slowly and unwillingly walked over to Seto's side, and sat down at the edge of the creek. He pulled the right sleeve of his green shirt up to his shoulder and dipped his whole arm in the cool aqua, letting the stream of water wash away the blood. He hissed a little as his heated skin made contact with the cold fluid.

A long silence ensued, and the longer it stretched, the greater their awkwardness grew. They pointedly didn't look at each other; Seto glared up at the clear dark sky, and Joey washed his wounds and face carefully. Once again, the forest had returned to the serenity and silence from before the terrible encounter with the black unicorn. If Seto hadn't been here, Joey would have doubted it had even happened. But then again; if Seto hadn't been here, Joey wouldn't have been alive right now.

The dragon _had_ saved his life…. Twice in one night, really.

As this thought crossed his mind, Joey almost felt guilty, having acted so ungrateful before. When it came down to it, it really didn't matter whose fault all of this was. What mattered was that Seto had helped him, despite his obvious dislike for Joey.

"Thanks," Joey murmured softly, still not looking at the other. "For saving my life twice… _thrice_, really. I… I guess I owe you."

He took a deep breath. _He saved my life_, he thought over again._ He saved my life. He saved my life. He saved my life. _

"And… _I'm sorry_ for trying to escape." _There, I said it!_

Seto didn't say anything and Joey, who was starting to get nervous for some reason, continued hastily:

"It's just that… I miss my family. I really, really miss them, and I wanna get home. But you won't let me go, so I'm starting to get frustrated here. I don't know what else to do. I mean, what would you do in my situation?" He paused for a moment. "And why am I even talking to you about this. It's not like you care, right?"

He looked down on his hands with a bitter smile on his face. Now Seto was going to mock him for this too. The asshole was probably gonna find some way to remind him of his family every day for the rest of his captivity, just to make him even more miserable!

But whatever scorching comment Joey had been expecting never came. What came was a wary, almost insecure voice from the dragon beside him.

"Joey… what are you expecting from me? To just let you go back, and put my whole family at stake because of some kind of sympathy I might hold for you?"

A bit surprised, Joey raised his head to look at Seto. The dragon was looking down at him with wrinkled eyebrows, actually looking… _troubled._ And as if that wasn't enough, he was actually (Joey barely dared believe it!) trying to _explain _himself.

Realizing this might be his chance to actually talk the dragon into letting him go, Joey met his gaze head on.

"No," he answered softly. "But I expect you to judge me for who I am, not _what_ I am. I know you've got some kind of beef with humanity, and that automatically makes me a bad guy in your eyes. You've already _decided_ that I'm not worthy of your trust, and you don't even _know_ me!" He paused for a moment, then frowned and continued; "come to think of it, that reminds me a lot of what the witches did to your kind. They judged dragons after race, and look where that got them. And you. Do you honestly want to make the same mistake?"

Seto looked surprised after his little speech, and actually broke eye contact first, obviously in deep thought. Joey too looked away, a little embarrassed by the outburst, but at the same time believing every single word of it.

Another long silence passed, and then, at last, Seto broke it again; his voice a lot more confident now.

"You want to get home, human? Okay then, let's make a deal."

Joey looked up at him, once again surprised.

"A deal?"

"Yes, a deal. The problem in this whole situation is the trust-issue, right?"

"Uh… yeah, I guess so." _That, and your stupid stubbornness. _

"So I'll make a deal with you; if you manage to earn my trust and prove that you're actually a friend, I will not only let you go… I'll fly you home myself."

Joey couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was all moving so fast.

"Wait, hold on…. So what you're saying is that you're gonna give me a chance? And an opportunity to get home?!"

Seto rolled his eyes.

"Yes, human, that's exactly what I'm saying. You're right, I might have been… a little hasty in my judgements. _If_ you truly are as reliable as you claim, I should be able to see it after some time, right? Make me trust you, human, and I'll let you go."

Joey thought it over long and hard. When it came down to it, what other choice did he have? He obviously couldn't escape through the forest, and he couldn't fly over it by himself. And even if he, by some unknown miracle, managed to get through the forest, Seto would find him and bring him back.

On the other hand; if he accepted Seto's deal, he might get to spend more time in the village, and not only in the cave. He might get to know the others better. And… and he might get home easier and faster. Wasn't that all he wanted?

"How am I supposed to just _make _you trust me? And how will I know when you do?" Joey asked, even though he had already made up his mind.

"Naturally, I'll tell you," Seto said casually. As Joey kept staring at him suspiciously, he raised an eyebrow in a sceptical look. "Honestly human, do you really think I want you to stay here longer than absolutely necessary?"

He had a point. Joey couldn't deny that. Still, he pretended to think it over for a few moments, just to make sure he didn't come off as desperate (even tough he was) and then stood and held out his hand.

"Okay, we have a deal," he said gravely. "I'll stay for as long as it takes to make you trust me. And once you do, you'll take me home?"

"Correct," Seto answered shortly and closed his own giant paw around Joey's hand. It was a miracle he didn't squeeze it to bits, but it didn't hurt at all.

For a few minutes they just stood like that, looking each other deep in the eye, then at the same time, they let go and looked away; both a little embarrassed for some reason. Seto cleared his throat.

"Now I do believe it's time to go back. I left in a hurry to find you, and the others are probably starting to wonder."

"They didn't notice I left?" Joey asked and looked up at him. For some reason that stung a little. But why?! In the end he'd have to leave anyway! He should be happy they didn't get sad or missed him or anything.

"Yami, Bakura and Marik were the first to notice," Seto said. "I went to look for you, and they promised to keep the others busy. But there's only so much they can do before Yugi notices that a member of his little geek squad is missing and decides to try and help or whatever."

Joey shot him a glare, but didn't say anything as he nodded and turned around to walk back to the village. Suddenly he felt how tired and sore his whole body was, and he stretched a little before he started walking. Seto trotted on beside him and lead the way at the same time. After a brief silence Joey put his hands behind his head and sighed.

"Soooo…" he began carefully. "You never answered my first question; how _do_ I earn your trust?"

"I'll give you a hint," Seto said a fixed him with a glare that clearly told Joey that the dragon was still mad at him. He shrunk back a little.

"Running away and almost getting yourself killed Is. Not. It."

The prince actually _blushed_, and quickly looked away. Okay, so maybe this would be a little harder than he had first thought, but he could still do it! After all; Joey was a man of many different qualities. Making the dragon trust him shouldn't be too hard… should it?

**And thus, my dear little friends, the plotline have been established! And it only took me nine chapters, too! **

**I've gained so many new reviewers! 28 reviews for a crap-chap like that is not bad! NOT BAD INDEED! Thank you sooo much! As thanks for your awesome support, I'm actually gonna list you all here!**

**Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey maker, casaragi, rubisora18117, mandapandabug, crazyvegimab, random-laughter, Silver Huntress, Kagome-princess, azure sea, Assassin of the Shadows, manga magirekomu, ArrowSphere, NutellaOMutt, Reincarnated Rat (a.k.a. Re Rat), Coconut Kazuo, Link Rolongo, pennypigeon, Kamiko-Miha, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, DarthAnimus, Kiki, The Red Stiletto, kyothefallenkit and last but not least; The Only love for Soujiro Seta. **

**Thank you so much, to all of you, and please note that I've written down all these names by hand, as a proof of my love! **

**As for the rest of you, who didn't review this chapter, but have reviewed the others; if I could, I'd give all of you my firstborn. Please excuse me for not listing your names here. I love all of you just as much! (I have a lot of love to give!) And I hope this chapter is reward enough for you!**

**Well, now I've held a long rant about the subject of reviewing. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out what you should do, right? Winkwink**

**Until next time. **

**R&R!!!**


	11. Like me!

Chapter ten: Like me!

"So what you're saying is…" Isis said slowly, "that you have to earn Seto's trust, and then he'll just let you go?"

"Yup," Joey answered and relaxed further into the bed of cushions he was slacking on.

It was the day after the feast, and he was sitting with the rest of the gang in one of the cave's many libraries, among cushions and books, just enjoying their company and the warmth from the large fireplace. Isis had healed all of Joey's wounds once he and Seto came back yesterday, by touching them gently and murmuring something in a strange language, and the next thing Joey knew, they had glowed for a moment before starting to close on their own accord, not even leaving a scar in their wake.

Isis was the only one who knew exactly what had happened the night before; neither Seto nor Joey wanted to worry the others. As far as Yami, Yugi, Ryou, Bakura, Marik and Mokuba knew, Joey had simply run off into the forest and Seto had caught him and brought him back. This however hadn't stopped Yugi from scolding him and Ryou from doting over him in concern until Bakura was snarling with jealousy.

But then Joey had told them about his and Seto's deal (of course leaving out the part with the negative unicorn) and that's why they were all just gaping at him in shock at the moment. Isis was scowling particularly deeply.

"Joey," she said slowly and looked him deep in the eye. They were sitting opposite one another, Isis in a chair with a book in her lap. "Do you have any idea how _paranoid_ Seto is? It's practically impossible to make him trust someone!"

"He trusts you guys!" Joey protested and looked at them all. "And if he trusts you, then why can't he trust me?"

"That's different," Isis protested and her frown deepened even more. "I've been living with him for years, and I've dedicated my life to him and Mokuba! I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon!"

"And we're born in this village," Ryou continued softly. He was sitting on a pillow to Joey's left, and Bakura was sitting close behind him dutifully. "Seto knew our parent before us, and our grandparents before that!"

"And I'm his brother!" Mokuba concluded and looked up from his place beside Joey on the pillow-bed.

They all faltered for a moment and turned to look funnily at the drakling.

"Mokuba," Yugi said with a small smile from his chair beside Isis. "We_ know_ he trusts _you_!"

Mokuba shrank back into Joey's side a little, looking sullen.

"Well, sorry," he muttered in embarrassment.

The others kept looking at him for a moment, all of them trying not to smile, then Joey steered the conversation back on track.

"Listen guys, it's no big deal," he assured them. "Seto wants to get rid of me just as much as I wanna leave! I'll be out of here in no time."

"I don't think you realize just how nit-picking Seto is," Yami tried to tell him. "Think of all that he has been through, Joey. Trust doesn't come to him easily. It's been four hundred years, and he's still protecting his family as if the witches were about to charge in at any moment. You can be stuck here for _years_ before he decides you're a friend!"

Joey bit his lip, contemplating Yami's words for a moment. They rang true, of course, but despite that, Joey was certain that he could do this if he put his mind to it. There was a reason why this had to work.

"Guys, think about it for a moment; if I wanna get home, what other choice do I have? I like it here, I really do, and you've all become like a family for me, but my _real_ family is waiting for me, and they are probably dying from worry. If you've got any other ideas, any at all, that'll make all of this easier, then I'd love to hear them. Otherwise, this is my only chance. I have to make Seto trust me, and I'll probably need your help!"

Silence filled the library for a moment, the only sound coming from the sparkling fire as the others thought it over. Joey fiddled with his fingers tensely, hoping to god that they would understand. He really _did_ need their help; his knowledge of Seto and what he liked and didn't like was very limited. He'd need advice to win the white dragon over; therefore, if his friends didn't help him, he'd be in deep shit.

The one to break the pause at last was Yugi, who sat up a little straighter and smiled almost sadly at him.

"You really do want to go home, don't you?" he asked softly. Joey smiled back.

"More than anything," he answered, trying to convey with his voice only just how important this wish was and how certain he was.

The two boys just sat like that and looked at each other for a moment, brown eyes meeting amethyst, and then Yugi nodded and smiled a little brighter.

"Okay, Joey, if that is what you truly want, then I'll do anything I can to help you. We're friends after all."

"It's gonna be sad when you leave," Mokuba agreed. "But I get how you feel. No one should have to stay somewhere against their free will!"

Joey smiled at the dragon, and patted his muzzle affectionately. He knew that if anyone understood how this captivity affected him, it was Mokuba.

"It's not going to be easy," Ryou said softly. "But we _are_ friends, and I still owe you for saving my life. I'm in too!"

"I suppose you have a point," Yami said with a small sigh and a smile. "And when you think about it, this might be an interesting challenge."

Bakura simply growled a little and lay down, swinging his silver tail back and forth in irritation. Nothing more needed to be said; they all knew that whatever Ryou did, Bakura was in on.

"This ought to be fun," Marik spoke up for the first time from his place beside the fireplace.

All eyes now fixed on Isis, twinkling hopefully, and she looked like she was thinking about it for a moment, before she sighed in defeat.

"If we're going to create miracles and make this work, then we'll need some kind of plan," she said, and Joey's whole face lit up in a huge smile of appreciation.

"Thanks, guys," he said warmly and smiled at all of them in turn.

"Let 'Operation: Woo Seto' begin!" Mokuba chimed happily, and the others laughed as Joey made a face.

"Please Mokie, never call it that again," he begged in mock-misery. "It makes it sound as if I wanna get into his pants!"

"Which would be pretty damn difficult, seeing as Seto doesn't even wear pants," Yugi said and they all laughed again at Joey's groan. Isis simply shook her head and decided that if they wanted this "mission" to go anywhere, she'd have to steer this discussion in the right direction.

"Enough joking around. Have you even thought about how you're going to do this, Joey? Do you have any plan or guide-lines or anything?"

Joey leaned back into the many pillows and thought for a moment.

"No, not really, I haven't gotten that far yet," he admitted and grinned sheepishly at Isis. "But I bet you've got suggestions. What did _you_ do when you met him the first time, Isis?"

Isis contemplated the question for a moment, and then answered slowly:

"I guess… I guess I didn't really do anything but being myself. I mean, when my brother and I showed up in the village claiming we were destined to serve him, Seto believed it to be complete bullshit, of course. But as time went by, he started to warm up to us, little by little. We lived in the village for at least three years before Seto decided that we were serious. And even after he invited us to live with him, it took a year before he let me touch Mokuba. I didn't really mind, since I knew I'd serve him for a long time to come, but I guess you don't have that time, do you, Joey?"

Joey nodded at her, completely stunned by this revelation. It had taken Isis more than _four years _to make Seto trust her?! And Isis was one of the nicest people Joey had ever met! If it took that long for her, then how long would it take for him; a person Seto actually seemed to _dislike_?

"What we need," Yugi cut in with a pensive frown, "is some kind of strategy to make Seto see what a great guy Joey is! It won't help if you just follow him around like a pet or something-"

"As if I'd ever do that," Joey muttered.

"-but maybe there's something else you can do to make him like you. After all; it's a lot easier to trust someone you like."

"And how the hell am I supposed to make him like me?" Joey asked.

"Well," Ryou cut in with an amused smile. "This is only a suggestion, but have you ever considered actually being nice to him? I don't know how it is where _you_ come from Joey, but here it's not very friendly to yell and insult someone every time you see them."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you," Joey glared at him. Ryou simply blew him a kiss, making Bakura growl in the process.

"Ryou actually has a point there," Isis cut in. "You could always try to be a bit friendlier, Joey. Try talking to him; Seto's an intelligent creature; it's always a pleasure conversing with him."

Joey thought back on the short talk he and Seto had had in the dark cave as they were looking for Yugi and Ryou. It had almost been… nice to wander around in the dark, joking a little and listening to Seto's explanations about dark magic. And he was sure that if they hadn't been interrupted, they could have kept talking for a long time. There had just been something with it all that had made Joey feel comfortable and entertained at the same time.

"Okay, I can do that," he nodded with a confident smile. "Anything else?"

"Well, you could try acting interested in things that Seto cares about. Ask questions about stuff he likes, like magic and history and so on. He's fond of games, you could try to play with him."

That'd be easy too! Joey found stuff like that really interesting himself, and even if he wasn't a game-maniac, he liked playing for the fun in it. When it was presented like this, it actually sounded easy to hang out with Seto! At least they liked the same things.

"Ok, sounds good! Anything else?"

Isis opened her mouth, hesitated and closed it again. She looked around the room and exchanged a look with Ryou, whom seemed to have been struck by the same thought as her. Joey looked from one to the other in confusion.

"What? What is it?"

"Well," Ryou began carefully. "There's one more thing I think you'll have to think about, Joey. And I think this might be the most important thing of all."

"And that is?"

Ryou exchanged another look with Isis, who had mercy on him and took over:

"We think, Joey, that you'll have to control your emotions a little better. Which _means_; no temper tantrums, no screaming at him when he insults you, no picking fights just because of one little thing he says. I think you get the point."

Joey sat completely still for a moment, and the others waited silently, not knowing how he would take this statement.

"So what you're meaning is," Joey said, "that I'll just have to sit back and take it when he treats me like shit, insults me and calls me names? That I'll just _turn the other cheek_ and let him say whatever the hell he wants?"

Ryou and Isis looked at each other, then back at Joey, smiled sheepishly, and nodded.

"If you want to gain his trust and get out of here… then yes."

The blond promptly flopped back on the bed with Mokuba beside him, and groaned in misery.

"Why does god hate me?!"

"Oh, I am _so_ going to enjoy this," Marik cackled from his place by the fire.

* * *

Joey's chance to show that he could do this came only a few days later, as Seto, while looking for Mokuba, stuck his head into the library the whole gang was gathered in. Joey, Yugi and Ryou were in the middle of a game of poker (which Marik had taught them to play the very same morning) and concentrating deeply. 

"Now what is this?" The dragon asked with a smirk. "A card game and you didn't invite me? I'm insulted."

"It's no fun when you're in, Seto," Mokuba whined jokingly. "The only one who can beat you is Yami, and he doesn't play because he can't hold the cards with his claws!"

"But that's the thing that makes it so fun, Mokie," Seto said and slipped into the room to join them. "My ego purrs every time we play, knowing I am the best."

Then he spotted Joey, whom was keeping his cards close to his chest and frowning in concentration. A lazy smirk spread over his reptile-like features.

"And how is the human holding up?" He purred sardonically. "Loosing?"

"I'm doing just fine, thank you very much, jerk," Joey snapped out of habit, then bit his tongue and cursed silently. Yugi and Ryou gave him looks that clearly said 'Remember the plan!' and 'Take it easy!'. Luckily Seto didn't seem to care about the insult, because his smirk only widened as he lay down beside his younger brother and Isis to watch the game unfold.

"This I have to see," he chuckled, and fixed his blue eyes on Joey, whom pointedly ignored him. No one noticed how Yami, who was sitting behind Yugi on his chair, studied Seto closely for a moment and frowned thoughtfully.

For the next few hours, as the gang kept playing and entertaining themselves, Seto kept slipping in small, scornful comments about Joey here and there. He didn't do it often, and it wasn't anything overly nasty, but it was enough to make the young blond go red and press his lips together to keep from snapping and yelling. It was only his friends' warnings and supporting glances that kept him from exploding. That, and the thought: _I wanna go home, I wanna go home,_ which he kept chanting in his head every time Seto decided that it was time for a new comment. The final straw came after a particularly humiliating defeat in chess.

"You're being awfully quiet today, human," Seto drawled as Mokuba and Joey shook hands (or rather, hand and claw) and joked good-naturedly about Mokuba's victory. "What's the matter? You using all your brain-capacity to play? And yet you're loosing? That's rather pathetic."

Joey froze, and Mokuba glared at Seto for a moment before squeezing Joey's hand in his paw gently and smiling apologetically at him. The blond took a deep breath and ignored Seto, instead sitting down to watch as Ryou and Yugi sat down for a round. He missed Seto's half bewildered, half irritated frown.

"Ah, I get it. You've finally realized that you shouldn't speak up to your superiors?" He tried again, a little louder. "Well, took you long enough. But considering your IQ and all, I guess it's understandable."

Joey clenched his fists in his lap.

"Stop it, Seto," Yugi cut in with a frown. "Joey hasn't done anything to you. Leave him alone."

Seto's earlier comments could have been written of as harmless teasing, but this was taking it too far. Now he was just being mean.

"What? I'm just wondering why he's so quiet," Seto said casually. "I'd like to know who made him shut that oversized gap at last. That person ought to get a medal."

Joey pressed his lips together tightly.

"Seto!" Mokuba scolded angrily, but his older brother ignored him.

"I'm just curious, that's all! What'd they do, human? Glued your tongue to the roof of your mouth? Or perhaps," his smirk deepened even more, "they just put you on a leash. Yeah, that's probably it. I always pegged you as something that'd need to be tamed. Like a wild animal…"

Joey shook from head to toe, and closed his eyes, chanting:

_I'm doing this to get home. I'm doing this to get home! I'm doing this to get home!!!_

"No wait, that's not it…. You're more like a dog, aren't you?"

_**I'm doing this to get home!!!**_

"Or a mutt."

_**THAT'S IT!!! **_

"Master Seto," Isis suddenly cut in, and they could all detect a hint of sharpness in her voice which made Seto pause. "I have a new theory I'd like to discuss with you. It concerns the curse."

Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Isis had just feigned off an explosion bound to happen. Seto blinked at her once, and for a second, he almost looked disappointed, but then he stood up and seemed to straighten.

"Really?" He asked. "Well then… let's head over to my office." And then he almost reluctantly turned around and left, only one person seeing the look he shot Joey. Isis smiled at them, and then followed him out the door.

Left in the room was Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura, Marik… and Joey… who was turning blue.

"Joey?" Yugi asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

The blonde's whole body was shaking violently, and all he could get out was a choked growl.

"Joey?" Yugi asked again. Bakura rolled his eyes at him.

"Give him a pillow," he ordered Yugi.

"A pillow?" Yugi asked.

"Just do it!" Bakura told him, irritated.

Yugi still looked a little puzzled, but took a pillow none the less, and held it out to Joey. Quick as lightning, Joey snatched it out of his hand, and pressed it to his face, to hide his screaming.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE! FUCKING ASSHOLE! GODDAMNED JERK! I'M GONNA KILL HIM! CALLING ME MUTT!? I'LL SHOW HIM! THAT PIECE OF SHIT! FUCKFUCKFUCK FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMM!"

Stunned, his friends watched as he kept screaming and cursing for a whole minute. And once his voice broke and he finally stopped, Joey threw the pillow to the floor and fell flat on his back, staring at the dark stone-roof and panting heavily. Yugi's, Ryou's and Mokuba's eyes were saucers. Bakura and Marik were grinning like mad. And Yami was watching the door thoughtfully.

"Uh…" Ryou managed after a long pause. "You… you did good… Joey…."

* * *

During the next few days, Joey stayed as far away from Seto as he could. Which wasn't very far, seeing as Seto hung out with them pretty much all the time. Sometimes he ran off to his office with Isis to discuss something concerning the curse or the wish, and sometimes the older dragon seemed to crave some lone-time and locked himself up in his office for a few hours, but otherwise he was always with them. He almost never participated in whatever they did, unless they were just talking, or playing games (and he always won, unless Yami was playing too) but seemed quite content to just watch them and make small comments here and there. 

In Joey's case, those comments consisted of insults and/or snide remarks. Somehow, he had managed to avoid an outright fight with Seto thus far, all thanks to his friends' talent for distracting him. But as time went, the anger and pride bunkered up inside Joey, and for every comment Seto threw at him, it became harder and harder to just ignore it. Joey had never had to do that before; he'd always met every problem head on, even if it wasn't very smart to do so. For someone as outspoken as him, this was pure torture.

His salvation came about one and a half week after the deal, in the form of a black hawk. Joey, Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba had spent the day playing in the air hole, and as the two young mages were about to leave, tired but satisfied with their day, Yami pulled Joey aside for a moment.

"This whole thing with Seto is killing you, isn't it?" He asked softly.

"He's a complete asshole who's got nothing better to do than insult people just to make him feel superior!" Joey hissed, instantly seizing the chance to vent. "What the hell is his problem?! I haven't done him anything! I haven't given him any reason to attack me. I've been staying out of his hair- figuratively speaking, of course- and minding my own business. What the hell's he got against me?!"

"Hm," Yami said and frowned for a moment. "Maybe it'd be better if you just acted like normal. You know, talked back and acted like Joey again."

"What?" Joey asked and stared at him. "What are you on, man? We're trying to make him like me here, not hate me even more."

"This might sound strange, Joey… but I think he might already like you."

"Bullshit! He insults me all the time!"

"Exactly."

Now Joey just stared at him in complete confusion. Yami sighed and hopped down from the boulder he had been sitting on.

"Think about it," he suggested as he hovered in the air in front of Joey. "Just be yourself, and try not to get mad at him all the time. Try to turn it all into a joke… just be yourself. Like when you're with us."

That said, he flew over and transformed into his larger self, letting Yugi climb onto his back. Bakura slung one furry arm around Ryou's waist, and with a curt nod at Joey and Mokuba, he walked over to the entrance and jumped out, not caring that Ryou was still waving goodbye. Yugi and Yami stayed a moment longer to say goodbye properly, but then they too were off.

"Come on!" Mokuba said happily and tugged at Joey's sleeve. "Let's go find big brother and Isis."

Joey followed him through the corridors down to the library where they knew that the other two occupants of the cave were hiding. Mokuba blabbered on happily, but Joey turned the sounds out, thinking deeply about what Yami had said. What the hell did he mean? Seto didn't like him! If he did, then he wouldn't go out of his way to make Joey boil every time they saw each other!

On the other hand, he_ had_ saved Joey more than once. And he actually seemed at least a little concerned when he was hurt. And that talk they had had before encountering the werewolves… but if he liked him, then why was he such a jerk!?

Joey snapped out of his thoughts when he and Mokuba stepped into the library. Isis was lying on a bed of cushions in front of the fireplace, deeply engorged in some book, and Seto was lying by the circular window, (this was one of the few libraries in the cave which actually had a window. That's why the gang spent so much time in it) he, also, with a book spread in front of him.

The books in the cave were magical; they changed size depending on who was reading them. When Joey picked up a book, it was the same size as a normal one, but if Seto took the very same copy, it changed size to fit him. Thus, the book laying in front of Seto right now was very big.

Mokuba trotted over and flopped down beside Isis, nudging her lightly with his muzzle and looking as adorable as he could. And that was pretty damn adorable!

"Isis," he whined cutely. "Read me a story? Please?"

As expected, the dark haired woman smiled at him and put the book aside, trading it for a children's fairytale. Mokuba eagerly moved in closer to her and put his head down right beside her leg, his tail waving back and forth lazily. Joe couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight.

"Had a good day?" Seto asked suddenly, and as Joey looked over at him, he could see the familiar smirk in place. He gritted his teeth to keep from snapping at him. Thus far, Seto had only asked him a question. Nothing to get mad about.

"Yeah, it's been nice," Joey answered somewhat wearily.

"You're fitting in perfectly in Yugi's little geek squad, aren't you?" Seto smirked. "For some reason, that doesn't surprise me at all."

And there was the insult he had been waiting for!

Joey was just about to open his mouth to start yelling (out of the corner of his eye, he saw Isis and Mokuba get ready to interfere) but then Yami's words flashed through his head.

_Just be yourself…. Like when you're with us._

What the hell! He might as well try it! His attempts to make the dragon like him this far had been pretty much a complete waste of time. Maybe this'd work better!

"Rather have friends than be an antisocial jerk who only sits aside and watch cause he thinks he's too good to hang out with normal people." He snapped and put his hands on his hips, glaring up at Seto stubbornly.

Isis and Mokuba looked at him in shock and defeat, thinking this was the end, and Seto raised his eyebrow in surprise for a moment before smirking again.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Look who's finally found his spine. Where'd the leash go, human? Or should I say _mutt_."

"Asshole! I'm not a mutt, and just so you know, I've been keeping my mouth shut because I was trying to be friendly. You know; _friendly_. That thing you don't know what it is."

"You've been trying to be friendly? Ignoring someone who's talking to you isn't exactly friendly."

"Neither is insulting someone on sight. You really are a first class bastard, aren't you? And it's not just an act either. You were born like this, weren't you? I guess we can thank Isis for Mokuba's non-jerkiness. He sure as hell didn't pick it up from you."

"Well, you'd know all about _picking things up_, wouldn't you? Tell me; do you have a pet dog at home? Or should I take it you've just been spending way too much time with the street mutts?"

"You bastard! I'm not a fucking dog, lizard boy!"

"What did you call me?"

"Lizard-boy! L-I-Z-A-R-D _BOY_! Got a problem with that?!"

Damn, it felt good to finally unwind! For the first time in weeks, Joey felt completely relaxed. It was good to be himself again! Not even Seto's insults could make him mad, because _finally _he could respond in the same fashion!

Isis and Mokuba watched this trade of insults with round eyes for a second, then their looks changed into mixes of wonder, amusement and relief. They too could see the relaxed mood between the human boy and the teenage dragon. This wasn't a big fight, like the ones from the passed weeks. This was just… light bickering.

Isis and Mokuba exchanged a look. During the last week, the whole gang had begun doubting more and more that Seto and Joey would _ever_ learn to get along; the atmosphere had been so tense between them. But now it looked like they had figured it out on their own.

Happy with the situation, Isis and Mokuba went back to their book, ignoring the two teasing males for the moment. They didn't have to interrupt this time.

* * *

_It burned. _

_Everything burned. His hands burned, his feet burned, his back and torso burned, his face burned, his intestines burned, his goddamned eyeballs burned so bad he was surprised they hadn't melted out of his skull yet. Or he would have been surprised, if he hadn't been too occupied with this burning pain ripping through him like razorblades. Was he in hell? Oh god, he __**should**__ be in hell! He should be dead! This pain should have killed him long ago! _

_But no. Something stronger than pain was urging him on; keeping him alive. Something dark, something absolutely terrible that ripped him apart, but he knew that he couldn't be without it, because then he would die! He'd die, and he couldn't do that yet! Not until he had satisfied The Dark within himself. And he knew what he had to do to satisfy it. Oh, he knew exactly what he had to do. _

_The smell of burnt flesh led him to the corpse. The corpse which had cooled of and which had grown hard and disgusting and which was full of insects… and he envied it. He envied it, because it had burned like him, hurt like him, but it had been freed. He had to endure the burning. It didn't. _

_He ate it greedily. The Dark told him to eat it greedily, because if he didn't, he'd die, and he could. Not. Yet. And so he ate. He ate, and almost puked, and ate some more. And then he wandered on, because there was a place where he had to be, and in order to get there, he had to ignore the burning. Even if it should have killed him. _

_He looked up at the moon, grateful for its faint light. And that made him think of his curse, and he thanked it, because it was the only thing which made his body truly work. The curse kept his body alive, and The Dark kept his mind alive. The Curse and The Dark. They went hand in hand, and were his mother and father these days._

_He found the proof that he was on the right track, and it made The Dark inside him, which wasn't really The Dark at all but really his own blackened soul, sing in triumph. He took the evidence and hid it close to what was left of his heart. He knew that it'd be poetic justice to use it to satisfy his Dark. His soul. _

_And still, it burned. _

**Another filler chapter without much action, but hopefully the updates will come more frequently now, so it won't matter. Besides; at last things are starting to happen between Seto and Joey! That's gotta count for something, right? Right?! **

**I'VE LOST TWO OF MY MOST LOYAL REVIEWERS!!! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?! WHERE ****HAVE NIKKI AND THE BLONDE MIDGET GONE?! I FEEL SO LOST WITHOUT YOU!!! -wails-**

**But looking on the bright side: I've got many other well-loved reviewers! Listing you was fun! I think I'll do it again! **

**One huge fucking thanks to:**

**Deme, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey maker, casaragi, rubisora18117, mandapandabug, crazyvegimab, random-laughter, Silver Huntress, Kagome-princess, azure sea, Assassin of the Shadows, NutellaOMutt, pennypigeon, Kamiko-Miha, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, DarthAnimus, Kiki, The Only love for Soujiro Seta, M15t4k5n, Tori-chan, kekame, anonymous and ONIX-21 **

**You own me completely with your reviews! **

**Also:**

**YAY! MORE THAN 200 REVIEWS! My next goal is 300! Help me? -Puppy eyes-**

**R&R!!!**


	12. What we are doing

Chapter eleven: What we are doing

Joey was having another nightmare.

Just like in the previous one, he was surrounded by pure darkness that was trying to consume him. He was unable to see anything; completely dependent on his hearing, nose and tactile sense to navigate. He could hear his sister and mother sob faintly somewhere far away, accompanied by his grandfather's tired voice as he declared that they were giving up and accepting that Joey was dead. He felt the darkness slither around him, circling him like a predator readying itself to strike. In Joey's brain, it took different shapes; sometimes it looked like a dark horse-like creature with glowing red eyes, sometimes like a large man with wolf-like features.

_They are giving up…_

Something brushed against his arm, and Joey spun around, opening his eyes as wide as he could to see what it was. Of course, making one's eyes the size of mall boulders wasn't going to help in this situation. So instead he flailed with his arms in front of him, hoping to catch whatever it was which was 'keeping him company' in this his personal hell.

_They won't come for you anymore…_

There was nothing there. But of course there wasn't! In dreams like this, there never was! This was just one huge fucking mind game his subconscious was playing with the rest of his brain. Joey wasn't in charge here. He was just a pawn. Nothing was or would make sense.

_They don't care anymore if you come back or not... _

Another 'something' brushed against his spine, and once again, Joey spun around to try and catch it, coming up empty-handed, as expected. His heart was beating fast and hard, his breath coming in short gasps. He was scared. Really scared. And if he had been conscious, he would have fainted when a familiar hiss sounded from right behind him.

_You might as well stay away and let them forget you…_

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, and another slid around Joey's waist to pull him back against a hard chest. A hot breath ghosted over his ear.

_You might as well die…_

"I'm back, beautiful."

Joey tore himself away, spun around and faced the dark shadow towering above him; all too familiar red eyes grinned back at him. Quickly, he raised his hand and grabbed his sword's handle.

Except there was nothing there. The sheath was empty. His weapon had abandoned him this time. He was completely unarmed and very vulnerable. And Anubis knew it.

Joey screamed as the shadows devoured him whole.

And then he sat up in bed, soaked through with sweat and panting violently as his heart tried to break free from his ribcage. Joey didn't care about this, though, as he cursed softly and flew out of bed. Quick as lightning, he stalked over to the chair he had left his clothes on the night before when he went to bed. The green shirt lay on the top, over his black pants and belts. Joey ripped it off and stared at his belts.

Both sheaths were empty.

In the dream, Joey's weapons had abandoned him, but in real life, it was the other way around… Joey had abandoned them. He'd lost them.

"Shit!" He cursed and ran out of the room, pulling on his shirt as he stalked over to the door that led to Seto's and Mokuba's room. His heart was still beating hard and his knees were weak, but all he cared about was getting back to the place in the forest where he had lost his sword.

Unsurprisingly, the two dragons were asleep when Joey opened the door and tiptoed as quickly as he could over the floor to stand beside the bed. Seto was wrapped around Mokuba, as usual, and the smaller dragon was lying on his back with his wings spread and mouth open as he snored. If Joey hadn't been so distressed, he would have smiled at the cuteness of it all!

"Seto!" He hissed instead and poked the dragon's long neck. Not that he thought it'd help; he doubted Seto could feel anything through those thick scales. "_Seto!_"

With a grunt he probably would have been ashamed of if he'd been completely conscious, Seto opened his eyes and peered at Joey blearily.

"Huh?" He mumbled, then blinked as if in surprise, and finally, his vision cleared. "Joey?" The confusion was quickly replaced by anger. "What the hell are you doing?! It's in the middle of the night!"

"Can we talk?" Joey asked anxiously. "Somewhere where we won't wake the little dude?"

Seto kept glaring at him for a long moment, but Joey met his eyes, trying to look as pleading as possible. At last Seto sighed and looked away.

"Fine, you stupid mutt," he hissed. "This better be important."

Joey decided to ignore the comment this time, realizing just how much trouble he was causing at the moment, (he himself certainly didn't appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night!) and instead watched as Seto carefully detangled himself from Mokuba, making sure he didn't awaken the drakling. But Mokuba simply sighed contently and nuzzled into the pillows.

Joey led the way out of the room, and Seto followed without making a sound. As soon as they had closed the door, the dragon turned and glared at him. Joey could clearly see his blazing eyes in the dark night.

"Now, what the hell do you want?" Seto asked, voice low and cold.

"I lost my sword!" Joey blurted out. Seto stared at him.

"What?"

"_I lost my sword!_" Joey repeated frantically. "The night we fought the unicorn, I dropped it, and forgot to pick it up before we went back. God, I can't _believe _I just left it out there! And why haven't I thought about it until now?! I'm such an idiot, and now we must go back and find it, and I know it's shitty to wake you up like this and I'm really sorry but you're the only one who can take me back there, and I really need to get it!"

Seto just kept staring at him.

"_Please,_ Seto!" Joey added and looked up at him. He was begging, but it didn't matter, because he had to get his sword back!

Seto snapped out of it at last, sighed and looked away in irritation.

"Can't this wait until morning?"

"I need to get it back right _now_!"

"It's pitch-black outside! You won't be able to see a thing!"

"I don't care! This is really important! Seto, I know I'm asking a lot, but _please!_ I won't ask for anything ever again!"

"Somehow I find that very hard to believe," Seto snapped and shot him a glance. "Dogs usually come back for more all the time."

When Joey's pleading stare remained unchanged, he frowned and looked away. Another silence passed (there was always a lot of silence around them) and then he sighed again.

"Fine!" He groaned, and Joey was ready to cry with relief. "Have it your way, you stubborn, stupid, sloppy, pleading idiot! I doubt I'd be able to go back to sleep anyway!"

Yet again, Joey ignored his comments and simply followed him down the corridor towards the entrance with a relieved smile in his face. Once there, Seto grabbed him roughly around the waist and practically threw himself out into the air, spreading his wings and soaring high over the treetops. Joey grabbed on to his fingers as hard as he could, afraid to fall, even though Seto had him in a firm grip. It was raining tonight, and the drops hit Joey in the face like tiny whips.

"Do you remember where we fought the unicorn?" He screamed over the rush of the wind in his ears, hoping the dragon could hear.

"No," Seto answered. "But I can smell my way back there. Burnt flesh does smell a lot."

Looking passed that slightly disgusting information, Joey fixed his eyes on the ground and prayed that they would be able to actually find the sword. He tried to tell himself that in a forest like this, it wasn't very likely that someone would walk by and take it, but still, the worry ate at him.

It took Seto about thirty minutes to find the right place to land, but for Joey, that half-hour felt like an eternity. As soon as Seto set him on the ground, Joey straightened, brushed his wet fringe out of his eyes, and looked around. Much like the dragon had said, it was pitch black outside, and he could barely make out the dark shadow of the unicorn's corpse a few metres away. The smell, however, was much more apparent. Seto had been right: burnt flesh smelled _a lot_! Even in the rain.

Trying to ignore the odour, and the fact that he was dressed in nothing but his green shirt and underwear and was starting to get wet and cold, Joey went down on all fours and started crawling around, patting the soggy dark ground. He ignored Seto, who was staring at him as if he had grown two heads.

"What the _hell _are you doing?" He asked in bewilderment, and Joey stopped for a moment and glared at him.

"What do you think? Looking for my sword of course! I can't see, so I'll have to feel my way."

Seto stared at him for another moment, and then he rolled his eyes and sighed in irritation. He broke a branch of off a tree beside him and held the end in front of his own face.

"Get off the ground, stupid," he muttered, and then took a breath and breathed fire on it. After a few mumbled words in another language to keep the flame alive despite the rain, he reached out the branch-turned-torch for Joey to take. "I don't have all night. Make sure to find it fast!"

Joey gave him a short glare, but took the torch and turned around to start looking. The fire sure lightened up the whole forest, and made it a lot easier to look for his weapon. He could see the corpse of the unicorn clearly now, lying head-less and cold on the ground with water-mixed blood everywhere around it. Big chunks of flesh had been ripped away. It almost looked like something had… _eaten_ of it.

Joey shivered and turned away, focusing on the task at hand. With his eyes fixed on the ground he started walking in a circle around the glade, trying to cover as much ground as he could. He checked under bushes and tufts, behind every tree and rock, he even made a quick check by the dead corpse, before he came to a terrible, but none the less correct conclusion:

"It's gone."

Seto had made himself comfortable in the middle of the glade, and now he looked up at Joey with a questioning look.

"What do you mean 'it's gone'?"

"It's _gone_! As in: _not here_! As in _disappeared_! As in _lost_! I can't find it! Someone else must have taken it!"

"Who? A deer? Joey, we're in the middle of an ancient forest, there are no humans within a hundred mile radius, except the ones in Solomon's village, and they never go this deep!"

"Well, then some other magical creature must've taken it, because I _know_ this is where I dropped it, but it's _gone_!" The full impact of that sentence hit Joey like a punch in the stomach, and feeling the bitter defeat well up inside him, he sat down on the closest stone.

It _was _gone. The sword he had had since his birth… the sword his father had given him… the sword he had used while training… the sword he knew like the back of his hand… it was gone. Really, truly gone. Despite all the years he had held it in his possession it had taken him less than an hour to loose it. When he had dropped its brother back in the castle, Joey knew his mother or sister would find it and keep it safe, but this one… it was just lost. Probably forever.

"It's just a sword, Joey," Seto said quietly.

But it wasn't! It really wasn't! It was like a companion to him, something he had been carrying with him for as long as he could remember. He knew exactly how it felt in his hand, he knew exactly how hard to swing or where to aim to inflict just the amount of damage he wanted to, and it obeyed him like a servant loyal until death. It was his only reminder of his family and home in this freaky world of magic and dragons and strange events. It was the only thing he could use to protect himself, because without it, here in this strange place, he was fucking _worthless_ and nothing but a helpless little idiot!

Joey hid his face in his hands with a tired sigh. Raindrops slid from his hair down his face and throat and chest, and his body shivered, but Joey didn't care.

How could he have been so stupid?!

A long silence passed, and Joey didn't see it with his face covered, but Seto was looking at him in concern, and after a moment he took a step closer, looking awkward as he stretched out one of his big paws to touch the wet human prince.

"Joey, I…"

"Let's just go back," Joey sighed and sat up straight. Seto quickly pulled his hand back before the blond could see what he had been about to do.

"Oh… okay," he said instead and grabbed Joey around the waist gently as the boy walked over to him, obviously ready to fly back.

As soon as they had landed in the cave, Joey wandered off to his room with hunched shoulders, dripping clothes and a depressed look on his face. Seto watched him go, and stayed on the same spot long after Joey had disappeared, deep in thoughts.

For some reason, seeing Joey like this felt completely _wrong_! Joey arguing with him, glaring defiantly, or laughing with the others… _that_ felt right. _That_ made Seto relax, that convinced him that everything was in order. This… wasn't how Joey was supposed to act. It upset the order of things! And Seto couldn't have that.

As he slowly walked off to his own room, Seto thought about different ways to cheer the blond prince up.

* * *

The next day, there was a gift lying at the foot of Joey's bed.

He was both surprised and amused to find that someone had placed a new belt with a sword strapped to it on top of his comforter. The sword was longer and a little heavier than Joey's own, designed to be held by two hands instead of one. The beautiful silver blade sang with power and precision every time Joey swung it, and there were three sapphires etched into it by the hilt. The handle was wrapped in a material which was smooth as silk and easy to grasp. Well balanced, easy to manoeuvre… all in all, it was probably the most beautiful weapon Joey had ever seen.

But as Joey replaced his old belt with this new one around his waist and felt the weight at his side, something in his heart felt empty. No matter how childish it might sound, he _missed _his old sword. Sure, he could use this to protect himself just as well, and sure, his old blade paled in comparison to this one, but it was still his faithful companion. His father had told him once that 'you can only trust a handful of people as well as you trust your weapon'. Joey now understood what he had meant.

Still… someone had gone through the trouble of finding him a new sword (Joey was pretty sure he knew who that someone was) and Joey _was _grateful. Therefore, he walked out of his room with the intention of finding a certain blue eyed sarcastic white dragon, and thank said dragon.

He ended up finding a dark haired, mild tempered female healer instead.

"Hey, Isis," he greeted as he walked into the 'kitchen' where the woman was just slicing up apples by the table. "You seen Seto or Mokuba around?"

"Hello, Joey," she answered softly and smiled at him at the same time as she raised an eyebrow. "I haven't seen them, but I know where they are. Seto is probably getting them some breakfast."

"Really?" Joey asked, his interest piqued immediately. "I've never seen them eat before! What do dragons eat?"

"Oh, this and that," Isis said haltingly, throwing Joey an apple for breakfast. "Why do you want to find Seto anyway? Mokuba I can understand, but Seto and you aren't exactly best friends."

"I just wanna tell him something. Would you mind telling me where they are?"

"Tell you what," Isis said and stood up from her seat, grabbing the basked full of apples. "I'll show you where they are instead. I can always use the company."

"Sounds good to me," Joey chimed and snatched another apple from the basket as Isis walked up to him. The first one had been devoured in the blink of an eye. "Wherever that basket's going, I'm following! So lead the way, fair lady!"

Shaking her head in amusement, Isis walked out the door and turned left, walking of down the corridor. Joey followed, as expected.

"So…" Isis began and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I noticed your new weapon."

"I think Seto gave it to me," Joey answered and unconsciously placed his hand on the handle.

"You _think _Seto gave it to you? And why on earth would he give you a new sword in the first place?" Isis asked, somewhat puzzled. Joey gave her a faint smile.

"It's a strange story, really," Joey said, and then proceeded to tell her how he had lost his original sword, how Seto had agreed to take him back down to the forest to look for it, only to find it missing, and then how he had found this new one lying on his bed this morning. Once he was done, Isis walked beside him in thoughtful silence for a moment, and then glanced at him.

"And what do you think of this new sword?"

"Well, it's not _my_ sword, but it is well-made, and it was nice of Seto to give it to me."

Isis looked at him with serious eyes.

"That's the thing, Joey…" she said softly. "Seto isn't usually nice."

Joey looked back at her with a somewhat wondering expression. He knew that. _No one _knew better than Joey that the dragon wasn't nice! But why would Isis, one of Seto's supposedly closest friends, say something about it?

"What are you two up to?" She asked. "At first I just assumed that you and Seto disliked each other. All that fighting and bickering… who wouldn't have thought that? But now… Joey, you're not even fighting anymore. You're just… _teasing_ and bickering. And now you tell me that he took you down to the forest when you _asked_ him, and that he _gave_ you a new sword? That's just not _like_ Seto! So I have to ask… what are you two _really_ doing?"

Joey blinked at her in surprise, then took a moment to contemplate the question.

What they were doing? He'd never really thought about it! He'd just done what felt natural with Seto, and what felt natural was fighting with him! He hadn't been aware it seemed strange. But now when Isis brought it up… what _were_ they doing? They weren't exactly friendly towards each other, but it definitely wasn't hostility! So what was Seto to him? Sure as hell not an enemy, he knew that much! But was he really a friend…?

Yeah, he was a friend; Joey knew that much. But somehow, that wasn't the word he felt he _should_ use. So what was-

"Joey?"

Joey blinked and looked at Isis, who was peering at him questioningly. Realizing he had probably been staring of into space for a while, Joey grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a moment," he said, then cleared his throat to answer her question to the best of his ability. "Well Isis, I-"

"Joey! You've woken up!"

They both turned around to find Mokuba running towards them with a grin on his draconic face.

"I thought I heard the two of you!" He exclaimed cheerfully and stopped in front of them, tugging gently at Isis sleeve. "Come on! Seto's fixing breakfast! You two can keep me company until he comes back!"

Smiling (you could never_ not_ smile in the drakling's presence) Joey and Isis followed him obediently down the corridor to the half circle-shaped cave entrance. Outside, the sky was grey and gloomy, and it was raining like it had last night. Joey let his gaze sweep over the room, but couldn't spot the white dragon anywhere.

"Where is Seto?" He asked Mokuba. The young dragon smiled cheerfully.

"He'll be back in a few moments with food!" He informed them, and Joey didn't see Isis wince beside him.

"Perhaps we should just come back and talk to your brother later, master Mokuba, when you have eaten," she suggested and took a hold of Joey's arm. "I think that'll be better."

"You wanna talk to big brother?" Mokuba said. "Okay then, do it now, 'cause here he comes!"

"Oh no," Isis breathed miserably, but Joey didn't hear her. He had already turned his attention to the entrance, where a rain-wet Seto was landing, much like Mokuba had just said. There was just one thing…

…He was carrying a dead cow in his mouth.

A real… Dead… _Cow_!

"Mokuba!" Seto called as soon as he had landed and… put _the cow_ down. "Breakfast's ready!"

Breakfast.

Breakfast was a dead cow.

…

_EEEEEEEWWWW!!_

Seto shook himself a little to get rid of the rainwater, and then glanced around the cave. The moment he caught sight of Isis and Joey (Joey especially) he blinked once in surprise, and then it looked- at least to Joey- as if he shrank to half his normal size in embarrassment! If he'd been human he would have probably turned as red as a tomato. But then again, if he'd been human _HE WOULDN'T HAVE CONSIDERED A RAW, DEAD COW TO BE BREAKFAST! _And Mokuba didn't make in any better when he chimed 'thanks Seto!' happily, bounced over to the_ dead _cow and quite literally dug in.

Feeling a little nauseous at the sight of sweet, innocent little Mokuba ripping flesh of the dead animal, Joey quickly turned and left the room. He was half embarrassed by the whole scene, half disgusted.

_What did you expect?!_ A voice in his head hollered angrily. _He's a dragon! You honestly thought he was gonna eat caviar and sip wine like those snobs back at home?! How spoilt are you?! _

_I'm not spoilt! _Joey tried to argue back against what he knew was his conscience. _I just… that was really gross! _

_Oh, THAT was gross, but cutting other creatures open during battles isn't? You have no right to be prissy about this! Have you forgotten your own less than desirable table-manners? _

_I just didn't expect him to eat stuff like that! I mean, he acts all sophisticated all the time… you kinda forget he's not… you know… HUMAN. _

_Does it make him any less than he is?! How many dead cows do you think he's eaten in the last FOUR HUNDRED YEARS?! Does this change the way you look at him?_

_Of course it do-_

"Joey!"

He spun around, only to find Seto following him down the corridor. Preoccupied with his internal argument, Joey hadn't noticed where he was going. Now he realized he had almost reached his own room again. Now that he had stopped, the dragon quickly caught up with him, and Joey could see how embarrassed Seto looked. In any other situation, Joey would have probably taunted him for it, but right now he was very embarrassed himself, so it really wasn't the time. For a moment they looked in different directions, and then Seto took a deep breath and started talking.

"Look," he said seriously. "About this whole…"

"Dead cow-thing?" Joey suggested, and then immediately whished he'd shut up when Seto quickly looked away. GOD, could things get any more awkward?!

"_Yes_, about the dead cow-thing," Seto hissed and looked like he wanted to sink through the floor. "I just wanted to-"

"It's okay," Joey blurted out, and when Seto stared at him blankly he quickly continued, "I mean, I don't mind that you and Mokuba eat… _that_. I mean, you have to eat, right? And if that works for ya, then it works for ya! And it's not any of my business what you eat anyway, so you should just kick my ass for asking or something, and it's no big deal, really! So yeah… you go back and eat your… breakfast… and I don't mind! It's none of my business anyway! Right?"

Another long silence. Joey missed those comfortable, thoughtful silences from before! Where the hell were they now? And why was this so embarrassing anyway? It really wasn't a big deal! He should be taunting Seto, and the dragon should be answering back as snarkily as usual. So why weren't they?

"It... it really is okay…" Joey said again, desperate for some kind of closure, so he could just leave and forget this whole situation. "Just… just _please _never ask me to join you for dinner or anything."

"Uh… yeah, that sounds good."

Pause.

"Look, I-"

"I brush my teeth!"

Joey stared at Seto as if he had transformed into a flamenco-dancing smurf dressed in a frilly pink apron. Had… had he just said what Joey thought he'd said…?

"I know eating… stuff like that isn't the fanciest of things, but I _am _careful with my oral hygiene. I wash my mouth and all that… I don't have a bad breath… I… uh… I just wanted you to know. So you don't… you know… feel strange around me or anything." Seto paused, then opened his mouth to say even more, but wisely chose to shut it again. Joey was outright goggling him now.

Was Seto actually trying to… _explain himself?!_

"It really is okay…" Joey said timidly. "You don't have to… you… I don't mind."

"Okay." Seto said quickly. "Okay…"

Another pause.

_What the hell was this?! _

"Well, I'll just… head off to my room now…" Joey made an attempt to leave, but stopped halfway, expecting Seto to say something more.

"Okay," Seto said again.

"You… you enjoy your breakfast."

"Okay."

"I'll see you later…"

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Realizing this wasn't going anywhere, Joey turned on his heels and stalked off again, feeling his cheeks burn like fire, and a strange feeling settling in his stomach.

This might possibly have been _the_ most shameful moment of his young life, and he hoped to god that he'd never _ever_ have to endure something like this again! Shit, but that was terrible! How was he supposed to look Seto in the eye now?! He was lucky none of the others were around! He could already hear Bakura's and Marik's spiteful cackling! Uh, NIGHTMARE! Why had he even gotten out of bed today?!

And as if that wasn't enough, he had forgotten to thank Seto for the sword!

Worst day of his life! Oh, how Tristan would have laughed if he'd been here!

Joey stopped dead: _Tristan…_

_A lot of 'okay's…_

_Incoherent stuttering…_

_Awkward pauses…_

_Unnecessary rants…_

SHIT! He and Seto had been acting like Tristan and Duke!

_Tristan and DUKE! _His two childhood-friends who were _in love_! And Joey would know; he's watched the two dance around each other for years! And now he'd been acting like them! _With Seto! _

_What are you two REALLY doing? _

Joey stumbled into his room and sat down on the bed, almost hyperventilating. His head was spinning. What were they _doing_?! He really had no idea anymore! And it confused him so much he could barely tell up from down anymore! What was going on?!

Joey fell back on the soft bed, staring at the dome-like ceiling with distressed eyes.

Shit… things really had become complicated!

**Well, I'm off to Lanzarote next week (YAY! BIKINIS AND PINA-COLADAS!!) so there probably won't be any update in a week or two! But I promise; THIS IS THE LAST BORING UPDATE! I've had it with these pointless chapters! Next part, things're heating up! (At least a little!) Sorry for the long wait! **

**Aaahh, 34 reviews for last chapter! Not bad! Not bad at all! AND NIKKI AND TBM IS BACK! I'm once more a happy bunny! Not that I wasn't already, with all the nice things you've been telling me in your reviews!**

**Alright, this time, a great big fucking thanks to:**

**The Blonde Midget, ****Deme, Nikki, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey maker, casaragi, mandapandabug, crazyvegimab, random-laughter, Silver Huntress, Kagome-princess, azure sea, NutellaOMutt, pennypigeon, Kamiko-Miha, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, DarthAnimus, Kiki, The Only love for Soujiro Seta, M15t4k5n, Tori-chan, kekame, KitsunesEmber, ONIX-21, Celdria, leencze, Kuragari Kagirinai, Novelist Pup, Empress Satori, feelxinfinite and last, but NOT least: Muckla!! **

**Yeah, that's all of you! Love! Oh, and please leave another review! If you do, I'll update as soon as I come back from my vacation:D**

**And yes, that **_**is**_** bribery!**

**R&R!! **


	13. Secrets revealed

Chapter twelve: Secrets revealed

"Please, Seto, just for today? _Pleeeeeeaaaasee_?"

"Mokuba, I have work to do."

"Like you have for the last four hundred years, right? Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow. You never play with us anymore, big brother! Can't you keep us company at least for today?"

Joey watched the dragon-brothers discreetly from his pillow-bed in the library, and tried to conceal his smile when Mokuba pulled the "bad conscience trump-card" and worked Seto like a skilled musician works his instrument. Sometimes Mokuba acted like a complete baby, and it was hard to believe that he was over four hundred years old and related to the highly intelligent Seto, but then there were times like this, when he showed an astonishing talent in the field of manipulation. It never failed to amuse Joey.

"Little brother…" Seto looked into Mokuba's huge, watery eyes with almost painful hesitation, then sighed heavily and looked away. "Fine! Whatever! But you owe me!"

Joey really couldn't conceal his smile when Mokuba cheered happily and pressed his muzzle to Seto's throat in an affectionate gesture. He had known Seto would give in; when it came to Mokuba, Seto was as predicable as a clockwork.

A few days had gone by since the infamous dead cow-incident, and the grey sky and rain had given way to sun, warmth and a clear blue sky. The change in weather was thoroughly welcomed by everyone in the cave and village, and Mokuba and Joey had together worked out a plan which would get Seto out of the cave for once.

The plan: _Beg!_

Needless to say, it had worked.

"Human, you coming or what?" Seto muttered gruffly and Joey was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, Joey, come on! Before Seto change his mind!" Mokuba agreed while he climbed up to his usual spot on his brother's back. Seto turned to walk out the door.

"I might as well come too," Isis cut in and stood up from the chair she had been sitting in. "I suspected the two of you would try to pull something like this on Seto, so I prepared some things we might need." And then she pulled a bag out from under the chair and smiled.

"Isis," Joey said while the woman climbed onto Seto's back to sit beside Mokuba, "you're the best."

"And you know everything!" Mokuba chirped happily.

"Can we go now?" Seto asked testily, and as soon as Isis had made herself comfortable, he started walking towards the exit. Joey was half running beside him.

"This'll be good for you," he grinned at the dragon. "I bet the fresh air will do wonders for your mood."

Seto just shot him a quick, disgruntled glare which Joey shook off with a laugh.

In the village, the spirits were as bright as the weather. Most of the adolescents had taken the day off from their duties, and had instead gathered on the meadow and around the lake behind the village, where they were playing games by the lakeside and in the soft green grass. As soon as Seto landed, Ryou and Yugi came running towards them, dressed in shorts and with big smiles on their faces.

"Hey guys, you made it!" Ryou said.

"And you even managed to drag Seto out too. Nice work!" Yugi grinned.

"Was _everyone _in on this plot to make me get out more?" Seto asked, clearly irritated.

"Pretty much," Mokuba said and slipped off his back, bouncing over to their friends.

"Come on, Joey!" Yugi said. "Let's go and find you a pair of shorts. It's way too hot for long-sleeved today.

Joey quite liked that idea; it really was too hot to be wearing pants and a shirt today. Summer was coming along nicely, and Joey was eager to make the most of it. After all the raining the last few weeks, he really appreciated the change of weather.

Once he and Yugi finally found a pair of shorts his size (Yugi and Ryou's were too small for him, so they had to walk around and ask the other teenage boys in the village if he could loan a pair) Mokuba had somehow convinced his brother to do another thing they all thought would be impossible. Even though the weather was nice and warm, the water in the lake hadn't had the chance to heat up yet. Therefore, it was still way too cold to bathe and swim.

But somehow, Mokuba had convinced Seto, with puppy-eyes and cute begging, to heat the water with the help of his dragon breath. So for thirty minutes the older dragon flew over the water-surface, blowing fire on it to make it heat up. Everyone had gathered on the beach to watch with astonished and admiring eyes. Once Seto finally set his paws on the ground again, the water was almost, but not quite, lukewarm. It wasn't cold, but still cool enough to be refreshing: perfect for swimming!

And Seto became hero of the day.

Joey spent the rest of the day with Ryou, Yugi, Mokuba and all the other teenagers in the village; swimming, playing and just having a good time. It felt good to just relax and be one in the gang again- even if the girls still fawned over him a little in the background. Every once in a while, he glanced over at Seto, who was lying on the beach with Yami, Bakura and Marik. The dragon was pointedly ignoring the smaller children who never seemed to get enough of climbing all over him. The sight made Joey smile, even as he frowned thoughtfully.

He hadn't been alone with, or even talked much to Seto since the awkward conversation a few days ago, and Joey didn't know if he should be grateful or not. It wasn't that he was still disturbed by the dragon's… uh… _eating habits_. That was easy to tackle; he just didn't think about it! But his little revelation was still chewing at his thoughts every moment he was awake. It was always there, in the back of his mind, and it drove him insane!

Sighing silently, Joey abandoned the mix between water wrestling and tag that the gang was playing, and swam over to the beach; he couldn't think of all this in the middle of a game. Everyone was too caught up in playing to notice his absence anyway.

Shaking water out of his hair, Joey sat down on the soft grass at the lakeside and watched his friends scream with laughter as they splashed, dove and grabbed at each other. He leaned back on his arms and stretched his legs out, marvelling at the feel of warm grass against his skin. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes against the powerful sunshine. He couldn't help but smile when the rays dried and warmed him simultaneously.

Okay… thinking… thinking about his current situation with Seto. Yeah, that's what he had to do now. Not that he hadn't already…. Joey hadn't done anything but think for the _last three days,_ and still had no fucking idea what was going on! All because of some stupid questions Isis planted in his head. Joey liked and respected the woman, but damn, sometimes he wished she could shut up!

Still, maybe the warmth would be good for him. He had heard somewhere that people's minds were clearer if the weather was good.

Okay… so… Seto…

Seto had kidnapped him, locked him up inside a mountain, insulted him and driven him halfway insane. He had also saved Joey's life on more than one occasion, had tried to help him find his sword, given him a new one when they couldn't find the old sword, and proven to be a pretty decent guy the few times when he wasn't being a bastard. All in all, probably one of the most complicated, infuriating, migraine-inducing assholes Joey had ever come across.

And lately he couldn't get him out of his head.

_Why the hell was that_?! It didn't make any sense! Seto was arrogant, rude, cold, bossy and most of the time when he talked he just insulted or complained! And he was a frickin' _dragon_! So what if they both liked magic and games and stuff, or if they got along pretty easily when Seto wasn't being an ass, or if their bickering had almost become entertaining, or he really liked the mountain and village and everyone in it? It didn't change the fact that Seto was a friggin' dragon, and that Joey couldn't, under any circumstances, li-

"Wow, that's a thoughtful look if I ever saw one," a smooth voice suddenly purred in his ear, and Joey jumped. Turning around, he came face to face with a young woman dressed in nothing but a bikini, with long blonde hair trailing over her shoulders. She stroked a lock out of her eye and smiled at him.

"What's wrong, honey? You look like you've got all the problems in the world on your shoulders. Makes you look all dark and sexy."

"Mai," Joey breathed and smiled up at her, genuinely happy to see the young healer. "Haven't seen you around in a while."

"Course not," she said and sat down beside him. Joey saw a few boys in the water glare at him jealously, and stare longingly at Mai, but he ignored it. "Selfish Seto's been cooping you up in that stupid cave of his. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the guy wanted to keep you all to himself."

To his horror, Joey felt himself blush, and he quickly looked down at his feet.

"Oh, and you look absolutely adorable when you blush!" She cooed, and quick as lightning swept in and gave him a wet kiss on the cheek. A few of the boys in the water roared in denial.

"Cut that out!" Joey hissed and dragged a hand across his cheek to wipe the spit away. "God, you're in an annoying mood today."

"Oh no, baby, I'm acting like I always act. It's you who's all wound up," Mai said nonchalantly, leaning back to let the sun reach her slender neck and beautiful face. "What's wrong with you? It's a beautiful day, everyone's having a good time, you're young and handsome… what can you possibly have to be pouting about?"

"I'm not pouting," Joey muttered. Damn, but she could pick up on people's feelings in no time! "I'm just thinking. I've got a lot on my mind."

"Oh…?" She said and leered at him. "Let me guess… it's got to do with Mister Stoic Reptile, right?"

Joey's head snapped up so fast his neck-muscles screamed bloody murderer. He stared at her with wide eyes.

"How the hell…? What the _fuck_, Mai?!"

She kept leering, and reached out one hand to tap his forehead. Joey was too shocked to protest.

"I read your mind, sweetie," she explained cheekily.

That snapped him out of his shock, and Joey scoffed and slapped her hand away.

"Bullshit," he snapped at her. Mai didn't seem offended; she just shrugged.

"It's the truth. I only took a quick look in there to see why you looked so moody. I respect people's integrity, y'see. But I was worried about you, hun."

"You can't read minds," Joey said. "And I'm not moody."

She glanced at him with a cool smile.

"Your favourite colour is green, your two best friends are in love with each other, and you're scared shitless of your old martial arts-teacher."

Joey stared at her blankly, and Mai winked.

"Sorry, but I had to convince you, didn't I?"

"How the hell can you…?"

"It's complicated," Mai told him carefully. "I'm not really human, Joey. I'm actually… don't freak out now, but I'm a witch, Joey. A witch master, actually."

Joey kept staring for a moment, and then pointed an accusing finger at her, and asked incredulously:

"_You_?!"

"Yes, me," she confirmed. "One of the few still out there. Maybe even the last."

"But… how?!" All this new information made Joey's head spin, and all thoughts of Seto were completely forgotten.

"Oh, I was only a kid when the war was at its worst. But I was so fucking scared of it all I ran away from Saridina, and never looked back. Lived like hell for a while, but about five years after the end of the war, I found this place. I've been living here ever since. Magic's kept me young, of course, and I'm happy here. People accept me." She stroked her hair away once more and smiled at him. "That pretty much sums it up."

Joey sat and just looked at her for a moment. He honestly didn't know what to say. He would have never suspected…

"Wow…" he said. "Just… wow…"

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "You okay with that? Me being a witch and everything."

"Don't be stupid," Joey said and glared at her. "You're no witch to me, Mai. You're you! And you are my friend."

And she threw her head back and laughed that wonderful laugh of hers. Then she slung one arm around Joey's shoulders in a friendly manner.

"Oh, baby," she said between chuckles. "You're just too cute, did you know that? All loyal, and righteous, and sweet. Where were you when I was looking for a man?"

"I wasn't even _born_ then!" Joey answered and pulled away from her embrace a little to smirk at her. "Or my parents… or my grandparents… Now that I think about it, you're old as all hell, aren't you?"

"Punch below the belt, honey," Mai said and looked at him with wounded eyes. "Definitely below the belt!"

"Mai!" One of the boys in the water suddenly called, and as Joey and Mai turned to look at him, he was lifted above the surface by four of his friends. "_Mai, my Mai, you're like candy to my eye_!" he sang shrilly. "Come swim with me!"

The two on the beach laughed as the group lost their balance and the boy tumbled down into the water again.

"Uh uh, honey," Mai called to him with a heavy-lidded smile. "It's high time this skin gets it some tan! I'm staying here in the sun! I'll send you my boy toy, though! I promise he's just as gorgeous!"

She turned to Joey and batted her eyelashes.

"Care to defend my honour, my prince?"

"It'd be my pleasure, fair witch," Joey said and bent down, took her hand and kissed it. "Although I'm afraid I can't marry you. You know: the whole I-like-guys part and all."

"Just go, you fruit!" Mai laughed, and Joey spun around and ran out into the water.

She watched as he threw himself into the game with a fond smile on her well shaped lips. Well, she had succeeded with her mission at least; he sure did look more carefree now.

"The way you two act is almost sickeningly sweet," a dark voice hissed coldly from behind her, and Mai's smile turned into a smirk. "You do know that he intends to leave here as soon as he can, right? A romance between the two of you wouldn't exactly be a good idea."

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Seto," Mai stated without turning around to look at him. "And I could say the same to you."

"Like that'd ever happen," Seto snorted and made himself comfortable on the ground beside her. Mai still didn't look at him. Once upon a time, she had tried looking at Seto's face when they talked, but she had only ended up with sore neck-muscles after leaning her head back.

"It'll only happen if you allow it to happen," she said mysteriously and kept watching the game in the water. Was it just her, or were the other boys a little meaner to Joey than anyone else? Well, it didn't matter; Joey could hold his own against them, and Yugi and Ryou were on his side. "He's really something else, isn't he?"

"I've never really thought about it," Seto muttered back.

"And yet you knew instantly who I was talking about," Mai said, and her smirk deepened. "I was thinking… do you recon Joey's got witch-blood in him?"

"Why the hell would he have witch-blood in him?" Seto asked, almost sounding angry, and glared at her.

"Maybe it's because of his looks," Mai pondered, only half to Seto. For a moment she was silent, and then she raised her eyes and looked at him. "Blonde hair and dark eyes? Isn't that a witch trait?"

"Not every person with blonde hair and dark eyes is a witch, Mai," Seto said, clearly irritated.

"Maybe not," she admitted and looked back at Joey. "There's just something about him…" her statement trailed off in thoughtful silence.

"I see you're still hopelessly looking for others from your kind," Seto said with only a hint of malice in his voice. "Maybe it's time you accepted the fact that you're a dying race. It'll save you the trouble."

"You mean like you have done," Mai shot back and stood up. "I think I've had enough of your sharp tongue for today, Seto, so I think I'll just leave now."

As she turned and walked away, Seto smirked at her back, knowing he had won.

"Oh, and Seto?" Mai turned around and looked at him casually. "Tell Isis I accept her invitation, and will spend the evening with the rest of you in the cave tonight."

And _then_ she walked away.

Seto looked at her retreating form, and then turned back to look at the lake, where Yugi had just persuaded Yami into joining the fun.

"Exactly _when_," he muttered, "did Isis the Wicked take control over _my_ cave? And when did she turn it into the goddamned meeting-place for the clique?"

* * *

Life was great, Joey decided as they all returned to the cave that night. He was completely exhausted from a day of playing in the sun, but it was a good kind of tired. The kind of tried which comes from laughing a lot and doing something you actually love! And things only got better when Isis placed a large meal, more than enough to feed all of them (Seto and Mokuba excluded; they did after all prefer _dead cows_) on the table in the library. Delicious steaks, freshly baked bread, juicy fruits, and other wonderful, wonderful things which Joey was more than happy to taste. The whole gang (consisting of Joey, Yugi, Ryou, Mokuba, Isis, Yami, Bakura, Mai, Seto and even Marik) spent the night lounging around in the room, just talking, telling stories and enjoying each other's company.

Yep, life was good.

And the only time things got a little awkward was a few hours after they had eaten, when Mokuba suddenly turned to Marik and asked:

"Hey, Marik, why don't you tell us something about yourself? Like, why you helped us that time with the werewolves and so on."

The room fell silent, and Marik froze for a moment. Everyone turned to stare at Mokuba, and then quickly shifted to Marik, who looked surprised and wary.

"Mokuba!" Isis was the first to break the silence. "That was rude! If Marik doesn't want to talk about his past, then we shouldn't force him! You should appolo-"

"Actually," Seto cut in. "I'm more than a little curious about that myself." His eyes met Marik's. "Care to enlighten us?"

Isis looked like she wanted to scold Seto too, but didn't say anything while the two stared each other down. Marik's darkly violet eyes didn't blink once, but neither did Seto's icy blue, and in the end, the werewolf just shrugged and looked away.

"I guess I can do that," he said casually. "It's not like I didn't know this question would come up sooner or later."

Joey finally released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. For some reason, it had felt as if this could have escalated into a big fight if Marik hadn't given in. Joey was pretty sure Seto never would have let it go, now that the subject finally had been brought up.

"Okay, you wanna know more about me, right?" Marik said with a sardonic smile. "And you wanna know why I slaughtered my own clan?"

Joey shivered at the casual tone with which Marik said the words. He really hadn't cared at all about those he called a family.

"Okay, where to start…" Marik said thoughtfully and scratched his dirty blonde hair. "I guess I'll just start at the beginning, right?" He took a deep breath, and then started telling his story.

"I was born in a small town a few miles outside of Domino. The werewolf who bred me was the alpha male of the clan at that time, and my mom was just some girl he had stolen away and forced himself on. I guess things were supposed to go the way they always went; he'd keep her with him until she gave birth to me, and then he'd either kill her, or throw her back to where she came from. And in that alpha's case, it was obvious what he'd do: he always enjoyed eating his breeders' flesh."

A strange smile had spread over Marik's face. His eyes were very wide, but the irises dilated, and the red flames of the fire were reflected in them. Once again, Joey shivered and looked away. Marik looked demented. He looked… like something from hell.

"This time, however, things didn't exactly turn out that way," he continued in that eerily calm tone. "Because once I was born, the alpha decided to keep my mom for a while longer. I don't know why; maybe she was an unusually good lay, or maybe he decided to try something new for once, either way, he let my mother live and raise me." Marik paused again and looked thoughtful for a moment, then that terrible smile was back again. "Now that I think about it, I think I was the first cub ever to actually _know_ the woman who gave birth to me. Even though I was the result of a joining she hated, and a constant reminder of all the terrible things that had happened to her, my mom loved me and did her best to raise me. Of course, she was scorned and mistreated terribly by all the werewolves, but she kept me close, and stayed out of their way. She even tried to hide from me what the alpha did to her every night. Truth to be told, I think she made me what I am today. If it wasn't for her, I would've ended up just like the others in the clan."

Everyone was completely transfixed by the story. Joey, Yugi and Ryou were listening with a mix of sympathy and horror written on their faces, Seto, Yami, Bakura and Mai were frowning heavily, Isis' eyes were filled with sorrow, and Mokuba was snuggled up to his older brother, looking like he was sorry he'd ever asked about Marik's past. Ironically, the only one who seemed to be unaffected was Marik himself. His voice wasn't even trembling when he talked.

"I think I was five or something when my mom got knocked up the second time. I remember some of the other clan-members saying it was about time, and that leader should have made off with her a long time ago. But now at last she was pregnant, and when I was six, my younger sister was born." He paused again. "She was stillborn."

Joey didn't want to hear the rest. And at the same time he couldn't stop listening. For someone who had grown up in a warm, loving family, this was too horrible to comprehend. Joey didn't even _want _to understand the pain the small, five-year-old boy must have felt. It was as if Marik was punishing them for even asking about him.

"The alpha," Marik continued, "was furious, of course. For five damned years, he had tried to get that woman pregnant, and once he succeeded, the baby was dead. Naturally, he blamed my mother for it. She had to be punished, and punished she was." Here, for the first time during the story, Marik swallowed, and one could see him grip the armrest harder.

"The alpha had another spawn, Anubis, which he had had with another breeder before my mother. Those two, The Alpha and His Spawn, helped each other punish my mother. One night only a few days after my sister's birth and death, they dragged mom out of her tent, and in front of the whole clan- me included- they raped, tortured and humiliated her. From sundown, until the sky was turning pink in the morning, they did that to her. And then they snapped her neck and left her lying in front of the fireplace. Just like that. And then, the others… the rest of my so called 'family'… _they ate her_."

_Oh god._

Complete silence followed. Ryou was crying, and his wolf walked over and wrapped himself around him with a soft, comforting growl. Mokuba was pressed so tightly to Seto, it looked like he wanted to melt into his brother. Joey felt sick.

And Marik continued coldly:

"I wanted revenge. It's as simple as that. I wanted revenge on those who destroyed the only person who really cared about me, but I couldn't just walk around killing everyone. If they got even the smallest hint as to what I really wanted, they would have killed me on the spot. Therefore, I had to act normal. I had to pretend my mother's murder didn't bother me, I had to pretend I was loyal to the alpha… and at the same time, I trained my body, knowing the only way for me get revenge was by becoming stronger. And I did. I became the strongest fighter in the whole clan."

"When I was fourteen, I managed to smother the alpha in his sleep. No one suspected me for his murder; they all figured he'd died from internal bleeding or a heart-attack or something. Killing Anubis, however, proved to be more difficult…he became the _new _alpha, and moved us to Domino shortly after. It's taken me thirteen years to get my revenge on him, along with the rest of the clan. And then, the opportunity unexpectedly arose," now he looked up, and leered at the others, "in the form of two young boys, and their friends. So you see, you don't owe me anything for my help; you helped me get my revenge, and you didn't even know it. We're even."

Marik looked crazy. He looked one hundred percent demented. He looked frightening, and wild, and evil…

And Joey didn't blame him one bit.

Yeah, he'd killed his own clan. So what?! Those fuckers _deserved it_! They'd betrayed him long before all of this! As a matter of fact, there hadn't been anything to betray, because Marik had never trusted them. They'd taken everything from him: his childhood, his mother, his ability to love, his humanity, his very peace of mind! …It was only poetic justice that he got to do the same. And Joey couldn't bring himself to feel contempt or fear or even the slightest hint of weariness towards him. No matter how fucked up Marik was, he was a _friend_. A crazy, bloodthirsty, vengeful friend, that was true; but no one's perfect.

Marik apparently had nothing more to tell, because he stood up from his chair, still with the leer in place, and bowed mockingly.

"So that's my story. Hope that answers your questions about me," he was smirking at Seto when he said it, and then turned the same smirk to all of them in turn. "Well, it's been nice, but I think I'll be going now." And then he was leaving, in long strides across the floor.

"Where are you going," Yami asked quietly.

"If I'm gonna find me a place to stay, I better start early, right?" Marik said, standing with his back turned in the door. "Maybe I'll be able to find a new clan to take me in or something. But I wouldn't mind living alone in a cave. Either way, I'll be fine."

"Why are you leaving?" Ryou asked with wide eyes. He stubbornly wiped his tears away. "I thought you were gonna stay with us."

Marik threw his head back and laughed, making the others stare. Then he turned back around, with the same demented leer on his lips.

"Haven't you been listening?" He asked. "The point of the story is: I'm pretty messed up! How can you want me around?! You should be scared shitless that I might try to smother _you _in your sleep! I'm fucking dangerous."

"But you saved our lives," Ryou said. "And I don't care if you only did it because you wanted revenge. You haven't given us any reason to dislike you yet, and until you do, at least _I_ will view you as a friend."

Marik just stared at him now. The smirk was gone; replaced by a look of complete shock. But he regained his composure soon enough, and turned to Yami and Bakura.

"What about you two? After everything my kind has done, do you really dare letting me be close to your boys? Isn't that a bit risky." He turned to Seto. "Or what about you, lizard boy? Aren't you scared I might hurt you precious baby brother, or your healer, or your little prince?"

"I can take care of myself, thank you," Joey snapped and glared at him.

"And I really don't think you're stupid enough to try and hurt someone I care about," Seto said with eyes that could freeze the sun.

Marik's bewildered gaze flew from one person to the next, desperately searching for the contempt and fear he had expected. But all he could find was compassion, and in some cases nonchalant acceptance. This wasn't what he had expected when he decided to tell them the truth.

"We're all pretty fucked up here, Marik," Bakura suddenly growled. "You're nothing special."

"Welcome to the family," Mai cut in, amused.

Mokuba quietly made his way over and lightly nuzzled Marik's arm. The werewolf jumped and stared at him, clearly not used to contact from another living being. Mokuba just smiled at him.

Isis suddenly stood up too, and started to leave the room. In the door, when she passed Marik, she put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"I'll make a room ready for you," she said softly, and then she was gone.

"Sit down again," Seto said to him. "You look like an idiot, standing there with your mouth wide open."

And to everyone's surprise and amusement, Marik obeyed without a word.

Joey smiled, feeling the distaste at Marik's story disappear.

Yes, Marik was fucked up.

But maybe, just maybe, all he needed was some acceptance.

* * *

The next morning, Joey woke up trembling in his own bed, covered in cold sweat.

Another nightmare.

He fell back against the pillows and closed his eyes, letting the dream flash behind his eyelids while he regained his breath. He'd figured out that if he took these few minutes right after he woke up to reminiscence the dream, it was easier to not think about it for the rest of the day.

It was the same dream as usual; cold darkness, blood everywhere, his family crying and screaming somewhere far away… only this time there had also been a boy there. A small five-year-old, with dirty blonde hair, sitting beside a dead woman, and looking up at Joey with pleading, violet eyes. And of course, Anubis scorching voice and cold hands…

Joey snapped his eyes open, unable to think about it anymore. His breathing was calm and even again, as was his heartbeat, so Joey stood up from the bed and started getting dressed. The sun was already pretty high above the treetops, and Joey realized it was late morning, or maybe early afternoon. He'd overslept; the time had probably been around three when they had all gone to sleep last night; he wouldn't be surprised if the others were still sleeping. Mokuba, Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura and Marik had all fallen asleep in the library, and Seto had been forced to carry Mokuba to their room. Isis and Mai had gone off to their own beds.

Joey left his room and steered his steps in the direction of the library. Since his room was right beside Seto's and Mokuba's, he had accompanied the two back last night. He and Seto had walked in comfortable silence, too tired to talk. The only thing they'd said was a soft 'goodnight' as they parted outside the doors.

As Joey walked down the corridor now, he let his thoughts slip back to the events of last night. He still got the chills just thinking about Marik's story, but he was completely certain they'd made the right decision when they asked the werewolf to stay.

When it came to Mai's little revelation… Joey had been surprised, but it wasn't a problem, as far as he was concerned. Mai was flirty, nosy and a little too clever for her own good, but she wasn't evil. Joey liked her very much.

No, what really bothered him about yesterday was that he hadn't figured out what was going on with Seto. He sighed heavily, knowing that the nice weather hadn't helped his confusion: it had just distracted him! Well, that and Mai.

It felt as if the dragon still avoided him. They had only spoken a few words yesterday, and for some reason, that thought made Joey feel angry, disappointed and even hurt. Which only added to his confusion, because he had no reason to feel that way. Hell, a few weeks ago, he would've been ecstatic if Seto had stayed away from him. They hadn't even spoken that much to each other! Sure, they'd had a couple of deep conversations after a line of near death-experiences, but other than that, all they did was fight, or as it was now, ignore each other.

He spoke a lot more to everyone else in the group. So how come he didn't get the same feeling for Yugi? Or Ryou? Or even Bakura?

As soon as that thought occurred to him, Joey stopped dead, and then started laughing. The very idea was just so absurd.

As soon as he had stopped laughing, Joey straightened and looked around. The mirthful smile slipped away. As usual, Joey's feet had carried him in an unknown direction while he was caught up in his thoughts. The corridor in front of him looked like every other in the cave, but Joey had no idea where he should go to get to the library. He sighed, irritated with himself.

"You'd think that I'd remember my way around after living here for weeks," he muttered and walked over to the closest door. Joey just had to find out which room was behind the door. He was pretty sure he'd be able to figure out where he was then; he was familiar with most rooms in the cave.

The door was, like every other in the cave, large, thick and heavy, and on top of that it appeared to be stuck. And Joey, being the stubborn guy he was, kicked and pushed at it with all he was worth, determined to get in.

"C'mon, you stupid piece of wood," he snapped. "Open up, dammit!"

And as if it had heard him, the door slid open with a faint creak. Satisfied, Joey walked inside.

And his jaw practically hit the floor.

The room was shaped like a large circle, and had a higher ceiling than the other rooms in the cave. There were no windows, but a huge chandelier hanging in a thick chain from the ceiling lit the room, giving Joey a chance to see everything in it.

The walls were barely visible behind huge shelves, filled with books and artefacts Joey had never seen before. There were books on the floor too; large, thick books with beautiful illustrations of dragons and other magical creatures on them. He even saw one pitch black book with the title 'Negative unicorns'.

On one of the shelves stood a huge pink diamond, surely as big as Joey's whole torso, twinkling at him. Joey had never seen anything like it, and for a few moments, he just stared at it, completely mesmerized. Some kind of strange magic was oozing out of the gem; it felt warm, and safe, and loving.

It reminded Joey of his mother.

After a few moments of just staring at it, Joey felt his old longing for home return, and he quickly turned away to avoid a storm of emotions. And then he saw the open space between two shelves.

Only one part of the walls was free from bookshelves, and was instead covered by a large tapestry and an even larger painting. The tapestry was woven with golden threads, and had a black silhouette of a dragon spreading its wings on it. It was so beautiful Joey didn't dare touch it. The painting beside it had a golden frame, and the painting itself was of a family of dragons. There were two grown dragons, one male, and one female. The male was magnificent; huge- surely even bigger than Seto- with light blue, shimmering scales, and a muscular body built for battle. The familiar ocean blue eyes cut right through Joey, and he shivered and turned to inspect the female instead.

She was a little bit smaller than Seto, slender in the same way as a dancer, but with an air around her which told Joey she could take care of herself. Her scales were wine red and the mischievous eyes so darkly blue they almost looked black. Her neck and head was bent coyly, a smile playing over her mouth, and Joey found her very beautiful. As a matter of fact, the stern male and the seductive female made a very beautiful couple.

Smiling a little, Joey lowered his gaze to look at the two draklings.

And came face to face with a miniature Seto.

It had to be him! It couldn't be anyone else. The deep blue eyes were more innocent than those of present day-Seto, but Joey would have recognized them anywhere. They had the same intelligent sparkle Joey was so familiar with. The smaller Seto's scales were also snow-white, and even at such an early age, he held himself proudly. The self-righteous expression on his face was also present. But on this painting, Joey found the look a lot more adorable and a lot less annoying. Especially since drakling-Seto's wings and claws were practically none-existent.

Smiling, Joey turned to look at the last dragon, and his smile widened.

Baby-Mokuba was, if possible, even cuter than he was today. Small enough to fit in his father's palm, Mokuba lay pressed up to his mother's side, staring at Joey with the hugest eyes he had ever seen. They were dark blue, the same colour as his mother's, and he smiled shyly, a pair of tiny wings sprouting from his back. The dark grey scales shimmered.

All in all, it was one of the most beautiful and vivid paintings Joey had ever seen. The eyes looking back at him seemed so alive it made him smile and feel awkward at the same time. And for some reason, his gaze kept slipping back to the young Seto.

He really was cute!

"What are you doing here?"

The cold voice made Joey jump and turn around. His blood froze with dread.

In the door towered Seto, with wings spread wide and head held high. He was filling the whole opening, making any escape-attempts impossible. His dark eyes cut through Joey like knives, and the prince could see fresh, ruby-red blood slipping from his mouth down his chin to gather in small drops which fell to the floor. His claws were also covered in blood.

And he looked _pissed_!

**Oh snap! What's Joey gonna doooooo?! D:**

**I know, I know; I promised to update as soon as I came home from my vacation, but please, bear with me! School's been a bitch lately, and I've barely had time to write anything at all. Last week we had tests in math, history AND social studies, and a ten minutes long oral presentation in English! (My teachers are all FUCKERS!) Hope this chapter'll make up for the time you've had to wait. T.T**

**Also, sorry I haven't had time to answer your reviews for the last two chapters! I wanna answer you all, but like I said, I've had my hands full, and I felt it was more important to work on the chapter than to answer the reviews! Once again, sorry, and I promise to answer all of you this time! (If there is any reviews, that is… AND I SURE HOPE THERE IS!) **

**Thanks to… Oh god… -takes a deep breath- **

**The Blonde Midget, ****Deme, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey maker, casaragi, mandapandabug, crazyvegimab, random-laughter, Kagome-princess, azure sea, NutellaOMutt, Kamiko-Miha, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, DarthAnimus, Kiki, The Only love for Soujiro Seta, Link Rolongo, Tori-chan, kekame, ONIX-21, Celdria, feelxinfinite, kaeryth, Lo Lo, starprov356, AzhureSapphire, Astarael's Get, Maya, Melissa, Assassin of the Shadows, Tamsin M, rubisora18117, ArrowSphere, CountessKitsune, gemoflostsouls, Maya, The Red Stiletto, Riceball the Second and last, but NOT least: Muckla!! **

**-Gasps for breath-**

**Yeah… that's all of you! I don't know what more to say. It shouldn't be too long until next chapter is up! Until then! Please review!**

**R&R!! **


	14. The dragon and the human

* * *

Chapter thirteen: The dragon and the human

Bodies littered the ground…

The dark puddles in the dirt weren't water…

The houses were on fire…

Screams of pain and cries of despair filled the air, almost making it hard to breathe…

No, this was no nightmare.

It was the village his royal highness king Rabastan had come across in his pursuit of the dragon that had taken his grandson. And it was a sight the monarch had much rather been without.

In his long life, Rabastan had witnessed and experienced many terrible scenes. He had fought and defeated a group of bloodthirsty werewolves, he had uncovered a black market for underage sex-slaves, and he had been the judge in many cases concerning murder, betrayal or infidelity (sometimes all three in the same case). The two worst things that had ever happened to him was loosing his beautiful wife to the influenza, and holding his son in his arms while the young, strong prince was bleeding to death, knowing he was leaving a wife and two kids behind.

This, however, was ranking pretty high on the list.

The small village had been like any other in the country; inconspicuous, peaceful and normal. Rabastan had vague memories of visiting it once or twice before.

Now, it was a burning inferno, littered with dead bodies and blood in a scene that Satan himself would have been proud of. And Rabastan was standing in the middle of it.

_What happened here?_

Gritting his teeth, Rabastan steeled himself and kept walking down what must have once been the main street. He and his team had seen the smoke from a distance and taken for granted that someone needed help with a particularly nasty fire, but they hadn't expected something like this. Never this!

He was looking for survivors, but it was hard. The fire had made almost all the buildings fall apart, and Rabastan had a terrible suspicion that people had been _locked_ _inside_ before the fire was let loose.

He stopped, bent down and turned over one of the dead bodies. Or rather… it was a _part_ of a dead body. The king couldn't see the hips and legs anywhere close by…

The dead eyes of a young woman looked up at him, blonde hair hanging loose around her round face. A wedding-ring glinted on the only finger that hadn't been cut of her hand. She had been pregnant. He could tell, because… the foster had… had _leaked out_ from where her body had been torn apart at the waist.

Rabastan slapped a hand over his mouth, squeezed his eyes shut and _forced _his breakfast to stay down.

"My king?"

Not daring to look at the corpse… corps_es_… again, Rabastan quickly stood up and turned around. His colonel was looking at him with a frown on his face.

"Yes, Dartz?" He asked, somewhat strained.

The light aqua-haired man with the odd eyes straightened his back and nodded in the direction of one of the few buildings still standing.

"We have found a survivor, your highness." He said evenly. Rabastan nodded and marched towards the house, which, unlike the others in the village, was built in stone.

A man a few years younger than the king was sitting on a stool in the house with a blanket around his shoulders, while one of the soldiers cleaned his face delicately with some water and a clean rag. His back was turned, but when Rabastan and Dartz stepped through the door-less opening, he turned around.

The entire left side of the old face was littered with cuts, scratches and burns. It looked bad with blood gushing down the skin, and the king knew his face would never go back to what it had once been.

Just like his life.

Despite his obvious injuries, and the shock he was in, the old man recognized the king, stood up and bowed, and that sight broke Rabastan's heart more than anything.

"Please," he said, and in three long strides he stood in front of the man, placed his hands on his shoulders and made him stand up straight again. "No bowing or respect or things like that. I don't deserve your respect: I wasn't here to defend your village, even though that's my job as a ruler, and therefore I've failed you. So please, don't show me that kind of reverence."

The man looked like he couldn't decide if he should cry or stare, so in the end, he made a compromise: he gripped Rabastan's shoulders in return, and the two shared a pained, understanding look.

"Please, my friend," Rabastan said lowly, "tell me what happened here."

The man nodded, and they let go of each other at last, sitting down in chairs opposite one another. The man was fiddling with his violently shaking hands, and once he spoke, his voice was weak.

"My name is Amadeus," he began, "and I've been living in this village my whole life. It's peaceful here; we mind our own business, take care of our farms and so on… we've never… we… we have never done anything to deserve this. _Never!_"

"No one has," Rabastan said and leaned in closer. "Who did this? Who were they?"

"They…" the man choked, swallowed and tried again. "They came out of nowhere. Marched right into the village… some pack of inbreeded trash… demanded we give them food and… and our women. _Our women!_ As if this was some town of bordellos or something! It was disgraceful!"

Rabastan put a hand on his shoulder for support, but his eyes were dark with rage.

"We didn't accept it!" Amadeus continued. "We refused to bend to those rats of society. So we fought. They were stronger of course, with swords and bows and hoses… but we outnumbered them! And we weren't afraid to defend our homes. For a while, that was enough… we were winning… then _she _came along."

Rabastan had no idea who _she_ was, but the very way in which Amadeus said the name… with so much hate, fear and despair… made his skin crawl.

The old man had to choke out his next words, so strong were the fresh memories.

"She… burnt down… _EVERYTHING_! She left absolutely _nothing _unharmed. She ordered them to lock people in the houses, and then she _torched_ them. Like matches. And she didn't care in the least that they were screaming and pleading from inside… she… she…" he looked up at Rabastan, and his eyes were dark and empty. "She was only twelve years old…"

Then the old man seemed to have reached his limit, because he curled up like a child, muttering and sobbing to himself.

Rabastan leaned back in his chair and hid his face behind his hands for a moment, then he stood up on shaking legs and regarded the three soldiers which had taken care of the man before he showed up.

"Take care of him," he ordered. "We're taking him with us back to Domino. This-"

He was cut off as Amadeus grabbed his arm and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Leeara!" He exclaimed. "My daughter-in-law! Have you found her yet? My son is bringing the cattle to the pasturelands right now. Oh god, I can't tell him his wife is dead! You have to find her! She has to be alive!"

"What does she look like?" One of the soldiers asked, obviously more than eager to do something for this broken old man.

"Oh, she is so beautiful!" Amadeus said and turned to him. "As blonde as my own dear wife- may she rest in peace. She's pregnant, you know! After years of trying! Oh god, she has to be alive!"

Rabastan thought of the young woman he had found on the street, but quickly put up his mental walls before his feelings had time to kick in. He couldn't break down now. He just couldn't. Instead, he placed a hand on Amadeus shoulder, but didn't look at him as he said:

"It happened quickly. She didn't feel anything."

And then he turned and marched out. He couldn't stay and comfort the man; it'd be too much. He had no idea what he would have said anyway. How do you tell an old man that his adored daughter-in-law has been cut in half and his eagerly awaited grandchild is smeared all over the ground?

Rabastan stopped a few hundred meters from the house, listening to the other man's howls. He thought about his wife and Andreas, Adhara, Joey and Serenity. A picture of a pregnant Adhara- practically glowing- flashed on his retinas, and he looked up at the grey sky with a heavy sigh.

"Your highness?" The king turned around to his colonel, and knew what the man would say before he said it. "We can't leave this."

"I know, Dartz. It's too big. A whole village has been destroyed, and we have to find the murderers." Rabastan swallowed. "We… we will break off the search for Joey… for now. It's what he would have wanted. Tell the team we're returning to Domino."

"I'll send a message to the queen while I'm at it," Dartz said and quickly turned around to walk away. "I have a few things I was going to send anyway."

Rabastan watched him go with a heavy heart. He knew he had made the right choice: one person's life couldn't be more important than the wellbeing of a whole village, even if it was _Joey_. As a king, Rabastan had to prioritize, and even if Joey was more important emotionally, he had to rule according to logic. They had to find the ones responsible for this, and if he was gonna believe Amadeus' story, it wouldn't be easy. It sounded like the culprits had magic on their side. Or at least a particularly nasty pyromaniac. This new mission probably wouldn't be easy.

Rabastan looked up at the sky again, and silently prayed that Joey would forgive him for failing him like this.

* * *

Joey tried to gulp down a huge knot of fear that had attached itself to the inside of his throat, all the while staring into the blue eyes of his captor. He had never thought that the phrase 'burning ice' could be used to describe anything, but it was the only way he could explain Seto's eyes at the moment. Because even though they looked just as controlled as usual, they were burning with fury. And the drops of ruby smeared on his face and paws only made him all the more terrifying. Hell, Anubis and his werewolves, and even the negative unicorn, were like _kittens_ compared to this vision of Stone-Cold Dragon.

How come Seto had been able to sneak up on him, anyway? He was eight metres tall and even longer! He had wings and a tail and goddamned giant paws! He shouldn't be able to move around without making a sound! It was freaking unnatural! Not to mention just Joey's luck. For once, just once, Joey wished things could go his way.

Of course, that didn't happen, because Seto wiped the blood of his face with one front paw, and _glared_.

And just like that, Joey realized he was _screwed_!

"You have truly excelled yourself this time, human!" Seto growled and took a step into the room. "I've seen you do many stupid things since you came here, but I honestly didn't think you were foolish enough to pry in my private life. But I should have guessed that something like this would happen. Your kind simply _can't_ keep your hands off of anything, can you? You're like rats running around everywhere. One just can't keep you out!"

Hearing a tremble in Seto's voice which could only mean one thing- that he was loosing control of his temper- Joey realized he had to say something to calm the dragon down, or things would end up nasty. Desperately, he searched his half-panicked brain for something to say.

"It's… it's not what it looks like!" He squeaked in the end, and then promptly felt like hitting himself over the head with a particularly hard stone. That just might have been the worst thing he could have said in this situation.

"I'm not interested in excuses or lies, human!" Seto roared, obviously too pissed off to listen to _anything_. "I want you out of here! _Now_!"

Joey thanked the higher powers that he had been training martial arts since an early age. It had given him sharp reflexes and an agile body, and he sure as hell needed that now, as the dragon lunged forward and tried to grab him with one of his claws. Instead of grabbing Joey, like he had been meaning to do, Seto's paw crashed into the bookshelf behind him. Books flew in every direction, and the shelf was crushed, and that only made the dragon even angrier! He attacked the young blond again, this time with a swoop which Joey had to throw himself on the floor to avoid.

"Calm down!" He cried and scrambled to his feet again, running around the dragon to get out of Seto's line of vision. "I wasn't trying to pry!"

"This place was private!" Seto hissed and spun around quickly to attack him again. "Not even Mokuba is allowed in here yet! What gives you the right to intrude?! You humans have always believed yourself to be invincible! You think you can do whatever you please! But not here, human! Not in my home!"

A bookshelf fell to the floor with a loud crash as Seto tried to crush Joey beneath his claw again, and then Joey had to make a complicated twist in the air as Seto's long, powerful tail came out of nowhere and tried to smash him. The thorns of the tail actually scraped the skin on his arm, and Joey hissed softly.

It was when he saw a few drops of blood drip from the very shallow scrapes that he realized the truth. And the truth was that Seto was _serious_. The accidental intrusion on his privacy was something the dragon obviously couldn't deal with, and now he was actually trying to harm Joey! More importantly, he was extremely fast, agile and strong, and even in his current state of mind; Seto's movements were at least partly controlled.

This was a very dangerous enemy.

And one Joey didn't even _want_ to face!

His shirt was soaked now, and Joey had no idea for how long he could keep all this dodging up. Playing on the offensive was out of the question: he couldn't and didn't want to hurt Seto, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it'd only set the dragon off even worse if he tried any counter attacks.

But despite that, he had to do something soon! The room was a mess, and for some reason, Joey knew that Seto would regret it bitterly later if he did hurt Joey. But he had no idea what one does to calm down a dragon going berserk. Shouldn't there have said anything about that in any of the many dragon-books he had read in his life?

But Joey had realized more and more lately that most of those books had been useless. He avoided another one of Seto's violent and dangerous attacks, and cursed all the hours wasted on those stupid pieces of literature.

Then he spotted the golden tapestry that was hanging on the wall behind Seto. He had been reluctant to touch the beautiful golden material before, but now the rest of the room was a mess as well, so he had no such qualms anymore. Plus, he would be crushed soon if he didn't do anything!

He pulled his new, silver sword from its sheath at his side, and as he ran, he weighted it in his hand for a moment. It was heavier and longer than his old ones, but still very light. He knew it'd be harder to throw that his old swords, but he figured all he had to do was put more force in the throw. He wasn't as familiar with this as he was with his old ones, but he at least had to try.

Placing all his bets on one card, Joey quickly dodged another one of Seto's attacks, stopped for a second, took aim and threw the sword, as hard as he could, at the rope holding the tapestry up.

His aim was as good as ever. The sword spun, singing, in quick circles passed Seto and buried its blade in the wall on the exact place where the rope was hanging. Naturally, the rope snapped. Slowly the tapestry fell forward and landed over Seto like a giant blanket, completely covering him. For a moment, Seto froze in surprise, then he roared and thrashed around to find the end of the darkness. Joey paused to catch his breath for a moment, thanking his lucky star it had worked.

"You need to calm down before you tear this place apart!" He called to Seto between deep breaths. "If it's so important to you, how come you're trashing it?!"

The bundle under the tapestry stilled completely, and for a second, Joey almost thought he'd calmed down.

Then Seto roared again and tore the tapestry in two.

"I don't care about that! I just want you out of here, human! Is that so hard to understand!? Is that so goddamned hard to understand?!"

Joey didn't have time to move out of the way this time. Seto's tail came from out of nowhere and caught him in the side. The power behind the hit threw him across the room and into one of the huge shelves with a loud bang. Joey groaned in pain as the wood cracked behind him, and slid down to sit on the floor, unable to move. His head was spinning, and his side and back hurt like hell. He could see Seto's white silhouette on the other side of the room like a dim shadow.

But something was wrong; he had thought the dragon would come after him the moment he landed; that he'd seize the opportunity now that Joey was still, but Seto didn't move. And then Joey's eyesight cleared a little, and he could see the rage on Seto's face be replaced by something that almost looked like fear.

"Human," he growled. "_Don't. Move._"

Joey blinked a few times to clear his head, and realized that Seto's eyes were fixed on something above him to his left. Slowly he turned his head and looked up.

The huge pink diamond was wobbling dangerously on its holder, having obviously been set out of balance when Joey smashed into the shelf. He stared transfixed at it, and watched as it wobbled back and forth. For a moment, it looked as if it would wobble back onto its holder and stop…

…then Seto took a small step forward…

…vibrations travelled through the ground from his foot up the shelf…

…and the diamond fell.

"_No_!" Seto cried.

Joey's head was still spinning, and his body ached with every movement, but somehow, perhaps through some hidden instinct, or perhaps because of thoughts of his mother, he reached out a hand in the last moment.

The diamond hit his palm and slipped, but he quickly brought it to his chest, and held it there firmly. After a moment of complete silence and stillness, he dared breathing again, and looked down to see if it was whole.

It twinkled back up at him, just as beautiful and unharmed as before. Warmth spread from his palm and chest through the rest of his body (should something that wasn't even alive feel so warm?) and for a moment, Joey thought he heard a female's tinkling laugh, not unlike his mother's.

But then it was gone, and Joey figured he's just imagined it. He looked up at Seto. The dragon looked ready to faint with relief. Joey gave him an insecure smile.

"A little _too _close for comfort, don't you think?"

The spell was broken, and Seto took a deep breath and sat down. If he had been a human, his knees and hands would have been shaking.

"Put it back again," he instructed Joey. "And step away from the shelf. I really don't think you can make a save like that twice."

"You're underestimating me," Joey murmured, but did as he had been told. As he stood up, he realized his knees and hands were shaking as well; not completely unexpected, considering the things which had just happened. Seto was lying on the floor with his head resting on his front paws now, and was breathing deeply. Joey slowly limped over to him.

"Calmed down?" He asked softly and grimaced as he sat down. He still hurt all over.

"Yes," Seto growled. "But I'm not going to thank you or apologize. None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for you and your nosiness."

"As if I was expecting that," Joey snorted. "I'm starting to figure out how you work, you know. I don't think you're actually capable of thanking someone. Much less apologizing to them." He sighed. "And I wasn't prying. I was lost, looking for a way back to the library. How was I supposed to know that this place was off limits?"

"Don't give me that shit!" Seto snapped and looked up quickly. When he saw Joey flinch back a little at his sudden movement, he lowered his voice, but still sounded angry. "This door was locked! You must have gone through quite a bit of trouble to get in here. Are you really so stupid you don't know that locked doors mean 'off limits'?"

"The door wasn't locked!" Joey protested angrily. And he was angry, but only part of it was directed at Seto. Mostly, he was angry at himself for flinching; he wasn't scared of the dragon, dammit! "Sure, it was a little hard to open, but I just banged on it a few times and swore over it a little, and it slid open! It's not my fault you can't lock your doors properly!"

Seto glared at him and opened his mouth to answer, but then hesitated for a moment, slowly closed it, and just glared at him. Joey raised his eyebrow and glared back.

"What?" He asked, not sure he had been able to cover up his nervousness at having those eyes fixed on him.

Seto just grunted, and laid his head back on his front paws. And Joey didn't say anything further; not wanting to piss the dragon off again. Silence ensued.

For about one minute…

"So what's it with this room that can make you go off like a maniac? It's really that special?"

Seto sighed and closed his eyes. It seemed as if he didn't care anymore if Joey found out his secrets or not. Maybe because the blond had already seen this room, he figured that he might as well explain himself. Or maybe he was feeling just a little bit bad for scaring and hurting Joey. Either way, he did something Joey had never thought he'd do.

He answered honestly.

"Everything in here… every painting, book and item, belonged to my parents," he said, and Joey realized his voice was very soft, even softer that it was when he talked to Mokuba. It was the kind of voice a parent uses while telling bedtime-stories to their kids.

_Wonder if Seto would have made a good father_, Joey thought. _He's scary as hell, but maybe he'd be softer towards his kids. He treats Mokuba very well, and with that voice…_ Suddenly Joey faltered, and blushed.

_What the hell am I thinking?! _

He cleared his throat.

"So that's why you didn't want me to see this place? Because I'm human?" He asked, eager to get his thoughts off of that subject.

"No, the reason I want to keep this place hidden is because I don't want people to know I still have things from my parents," Seto muttered. "They died hundreds of years ago. I should have been able to move on by now. But I can't. This… this is my most well guarded secret. It's my, in lack of better words, safe heaven."

He raised his head and looked at the pink diamond, which had almost met its end a few minutes earlier. If it hadn't been for Joey, that is.

"That diamond has been in the family for eons. It was passed on from one female dragon to another: mother to daughter… my mother got it from my grandmother when she married my father. It's supposed to bring luck in breeding and in the upbringing of the children." He snorted. "So it's been pretty useless for the last few hundred years: there haven't been any dragon-babies to raise, after all. Still, I keep it because my mother was very fond of it… and it reminds me strongly of her."

Joey thought back on the motherly warmth he had felt oozing out of the gem earlier, and understood exactly what the dragon meant.

Seto looked away from the diamond and instead turned his eyes on the golden framed painting of the two grown dragons and the two draklings.

"I painted that myself, a few years after they- our parents- left us," he explained. "I haven't been able to paint them ever again. Every time I try, the portrait just ends up all wrong and… dead…. I don't know why, but it's like their souls are in that portrait. Mokuba barely remembers them, and I don't want to reopen old wound by showing him this, but I… need to see it sometimes. It gives me strength to know that they were here once."

Joey was completely blown away by this revelation. Never had he believed Seto to have such deep feelings, and somewhere inside, he realized the dragon was opening up to him. _Him_! A human! A human who had been nothing but trouble for him ever since he showed up. While he tried to ignore his pounding heart, Joey studied the painting as well. His eyes flew over the grown male dragon, with the light blue scales and deep eyes, and something simply clicked in his memory.

"That's Mordechai, the last dragon king," he stated. "I've read about him in my books."

"Yes, he was my father," Seto said.

"Wow!" Joey said and glanced at him with admiration in his voice. Not until now had it occurred to him exactly _who _Seto was. "That makes you… the next dragon king!"

"King of what?" Seto gave a hollow laugh. "I'm the last one, remember?"

"Oh…" Joey looked away again, with a sad expression on his face. "You are, aren't you…? Sorry, I kinda… I forgot."

"I thought dogs were supposed to have a good memory." Seto murmured sullenly and ignored Joey's glare as he continued: "my mother was very good with magic. When father realized our people was going to loose the war, he asked her to cast a spell over me and Mokuba that made us age slower, and then they hid us away here, behind thick magical barriers. Father wanted to hide mother too, but she refused to leave his side." He made a pause, his gaze far away, in the past. "Right before they left me here with Mokuba, father made me promise two things; that I would do anything to protect my brother, and that I would only kill if it was absolutely necessary."

"He sounds like a brave dragon."

"He was a fool." Seto's gaze was back in the present again, and had taken on a kind of shielded look. As if it hurt to talk about this, but he wanted to do it anyway. "He always talked about how pointless the war was and how he knew that he could talk the humans and witches back into sanity. He died for that cause, and left us behind. _They_ left us behind. And not just our parents; _everyone_! Now… now there's no hope left for us."

Joey could see the pain and hopelessness that Seto tried- and almost succeeded in- hiding as he said that. For the first time, he realized what it must have _done_ to Seto, being locked up in this cave for _four-hundred _years, knowing there was nothing he could do for his people, or himself. He had his brother, and that was it. He could only sit around here, waiting for age or boredom to kill him. And after that, there'd only be… oblivion.

When he looked at it that way… Seto was so much more of a prisoner than Joey.

He thought back on the weeks of mockery, the scornful smirks, the insults, the tiring arguments, even the episode a few minutes ago… and then the long conversations that was more entertaining than awkward, the bickering which kept everything interesting, the pride which was the driving force in everything Seto did, the many interests they shared, the soft side he only ever caught a glimpse of, the times Seto showed him true concern and _helped _him, the way those eyes made him feel…

Oh god, he _liked_ Seto!

And he wanted him to be okay.

"There's always hope," Joey said softly, and smiled at him. He even dared scooting a little bit closer. "You're still young and there's still time to break that curse. And even if you _are_ the last one, that doesn't mean you have to be alone or miserable. You've got wonderful friends, an adorable brother and… and things are different now. Times have changed. The witches have fallen, and the humans… my people have become a lot more tolerant."

Seto still didn't look at him, so Joey continued;

"I've always been such a great fan of dragons. I used to dream about meeting someone like you. A dragon, I mean." _And then you were so much more than I had ever dreamt of meeting._ Joey didn't dare add the last bit. "And now that I know that you still exist… when I get home, I'll make sure to arrange things so that you and Mokuba can come and visit, and be welcomed."

At this, Seto finally turned around and looked at him. And he actually looked a little surprised.

"You… you'd do that? _Can _you do that?"

"Of course I can!" Joey insisted and puffed out his chest. "I _am_ the prince after all. And you and Mokuba are my friends… I'll make sure you never have to hide again. You really shouldn't have to!"

Seto stared at him for a moment, and then he actually smiled. Not a scornful smirk, like Joey was used to… but a real smile. If a little bit amused at his expense.

It was… a nice smile.

"Mai was right," Seto said, still smiling. "You really are something else."

Really nice.

"Pah!" Joey scoffed and hastily looked away. "Didn't sound that way when you first found me in here."

"Well, you _did _interrupt me in the middle of my breakfast," Seto said, and now the smile turned into a teasing smirk again. "Which reminds me… I never did finish breakfast."

And then he raised his paws, which still had some blood on them, and licked the red fluid off carefully. Joey shivered in disgust and looked away.

"Cut it out," he snapped. "That's so gross!"

"Your own fault. As soon as I felt the magic around this room had been breached, I had to leave Mokuba and go find out who it had done it. Didn't have time to clean up. I was… surprised to find it was you." He glanced at Joey. "Any idea how you _did_ breach my magic?

"Like I said, I just pushed the door, and it slid open," Joey said, and Seto stared at him for a moment longer, then he simply shrugged.

"The barriers are probably getting weak," he stated casually. "It was a few years since I checked on them."

"How old are you, anyway?"

Seto considered the question while he licked his paws clean.

"I think…" he said slowly, "that this year is my five-hundred-and-twenty-second."

"Shit, you're old!"

"And you're a runt."

"_What_?! I'm eighteen! That's the _perfect _age!"

"Typical humans… you never even live long enough to get the big picture in life."

"Screw you, lizard-boy!"

"I've told you, human, _never_ to call me that! One more time, and you will wake up as my breakfast!"

"Whatever…

…lizard-boy."

It was nice when things went back to the way they were supposed be.

**MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!**

**Sorry, just felt like doing that. Don't know why. n.n**

**Argh, even more dialogue in this chapter! . You know, I just realized the last few chapters have been very boring with nothing but talking, talking and talking! Sadly, it'll take a few more chapters before the action gets on again! Sorry! TT.TT **

**Either way, I think my update time was pretty okay this time. Maybe a little too long… ah, what the hell!**

**THANKS TO: **

**Deme, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, ****pennypigeon, journey maker, casaragi, mandapandabug, someoneyoudontknow, crazyvegimab, random-laughter, Moutard, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Kiki, The Only love for Soujiro Seta, Tori-chan, kekame, ONIX-21, AzhureSapphire, Tamsin M, rubisora18117, M15t4k5n, ylc, Silver Hunteress, Riceball the Second, Coral Q's bff, The Schizophrenics aaaaaand Eshhnay **

**You know, to keep this going, I need reviews! So PLEASE, LEAVE A COMMENT FOR LIL' OL' ME! I'M NOT ASKING MUCH! **

**Okay, I'll go to bed now. Until next time!**

**R&R!!**


	15. Learn to fly

Chapter fourteen: Learn to fly

Joey raised his arms above his head and stretched, long and hard, hearing the muscles in his back pop and relax. He lowered them again and slowly turned his head from side to side a few times, then jumped up and down to relax the muscles in his legs. Once he had done all that, he made a full body shake, to make sure all his limbs were loose and warm.

"How long is this gonna take? Should I take a coffee-break while I wait for you to get done?"

Joey stopped his movements and glared into the violet eyes smirking at him from the other side of the glade.

"I don't want any sore muscles afterwards," he said sourly and leaned forward to stretch his back. His opponent simply rolled his eyes.

"Humans," he snorted with contempt, "always so fucking slow, no matter what they're doing. How come _you're _the only race that survived the old war?"

"Shut up!" Joey snapped.

"Make me." A smirk.

Joey growled and proceeded to do just that. He lunged himself forward and sprinted towards his enemy, bracing himself for the fight to come. But only a few steps from the other fighter, who was waiting for his attack in a crouching position, he made a sharp left turn, towards a tree next to his opponent. Measuring the distance closely, he jumped and landed with one foot on the tree-trunk, pushing away, spinning in the air and aiming a hard kick at the other's head.

Unfortunately, the strike never met its intended target. Joey's opponent swiftly dodged and then snatched his leg, pulling at it and throwing him across the glade.

Like a cat, Joey twisted in the air, landed with both his feet on another tree, pushed away and made a flip flop. His feet landed almost soundlessly on the ground. His opponent clapped his hands sardonically.

"Impressive," he stated. "I don't know why the dragon calls you a mutt all the time. You seem more like a feline to me."

"What is it with people always comparing me to animals?!" Joey spat and positioned himself in a fighting stance. "I prefer being viewed as a human being, thank you!"

His enemy smirked again, and the next moment, he was gone. Joey barely had time to block as a kick came from his left and tried to catch him in the side. Quickly, he batted the leg away, dodged a swinging fist, went in low and aimed a kick at the others chest.

This time he hit the target, but the other rolled with the punch, bending over backwards and making a flip flop, forcing Joey to back off to avoid getting kicked. And then he had to throw his arms up to fend off another series of punches and kicks. Joey hadn't been prepared for the shower of punches, and to his own irritation, he started backing up; his opponent matching every step, not once stopping his attacks.

Realizing he had to do something before the other cornered him completely, Joey managed to detect a slight gap between two attacks. Before the other had the time to react, he went to his knees and rolled to the side, kicking the other's legs out from under him as he went.

His enemy hadn't been prepared for this, and went down like a tree. As soon as he hit the ground, Joey locked his legs around his torso, keeping his arms pressed to his sides effectively, while he wound his own arms around the other's neck and squeezed.

"I win," he panted as the other tried to wriggle out of his wrestling-grip to no avail. "Give!"

"You know," the enemy gritted out and tried to tear his arms free, "this could turn into something suggestive if we don't watch out."

"As if," Joey hissed and squeezed a little harder, making the other gasp for breath. "I'm not interested. Now fucking give in!"

"I'm sure…" the fighter panted. "…your dragon wouldn't be… ah… wouldn't be too happy finding us in this… position… uuh…"

That got Joey's attention. He stared down at the other.

"What?"

And then a foot came out of nowhere and hit him in the back of his head so hard it made him see stars.

Before Joey had time to focus his eyes again, his enemy had slipped out of his grip with a relieved sigh, twisted, grabbed his arms and pinned him to the ground.

"Give," he smirked triumphantly and stared into Joey's glaring eyes.

"Bastard," Joey hissed and tried to kick him. But the other pinned his legs with his own. "Let me go!"

"Give!"

"Never!"

He tried to head-butt him, but the other pulled his head back. "That's not gonna work."

"Dammit, you asshole!" He wasn't strong enough to throw the other off with his physical strength only. They were equally strong, which meant that the one on top almost always had the upper hand; he had gravity on his side!

"Give, you stubborn ape!"

"Oh, now I'm an ape, am I?! I'll show you!"

"Not today, Blondie. Just give in already!"

"I… I…" Joey tried to wiggle again, but it wasn't working. And the grip on his wrists was getting very painful. "I… give."

Smirking in satisfaction, the other let go and sat up on Joey's legs.

"I win."

"By cheating," Joey muttered, sat up and rubbed his wrists. His fingers were starting to sting as the blood returned to them. "And it's not like I haven't won the last _ten_ times!"

Marik smirked again. "Now I know your weakness. Don't think I'll let you win anymore, Blondie."

Joey snorted.

"My weakness? And what would that be."

"Talking about your dragon."

Joey froze, blushed and glared coldly at him.

"First off: Seto's not _my dragon_, so stop calling him that. Second: why on earth would talking about him be my weakness? And third, why the hell are you still sitting on me?!"

He punctuated the last part by roughly pushing Marik off of him. The werewolf cackled gleefully.

"So it _is _true? I was just throwing out random things to get you off balance, but I hit right on the spot, didn't I? You like the dragon."

"_I do not!_" Joey protested violently and scrambled to his feet. "You're full of _shit!_"

When Marik did nothing but keep cackling, Joey turned on the spot and marched away, seething. He grabbed his jacket, belt and sword as he passed the tree where he had hung them before his and Marik's sparring, and then left as quickly as possible.

"You have no taste, human!" Marik howled after him, making Joey's blush deepen even more.

Shit, this wasn't how he had wanted this day to go. Why did this happen now, when everything had gone so well for the last few days? He should have known his luck wouldn't keep up. It just wasn't The Way Of The Joey to be lucky!

But the truth was that things _had_ gone great for the last few days! Joey had never thought he would be so content with just _being_, but he had found the peace… wonderful. He had done nothing but hang out with his friends, play games and now and then spar with Marik since the day in Seto's study. As if that wasn't enough, he and the dragon were back to normal, bickering and teasing just like before. And it was great!

And then _Marik _just had to go and figure out that Joey's relationship with Seto wasn't as strictly platonic as it may have seemed. _Marik!_ Of all the people! How was Joey supposed to face him when they sparred now?! How was he supposed to endure all the taunting that would, no doubt, come? He had barely accepted it himself, and still found it extremely weird… _he wasn't ready for anyone to know! _

Okay, so he had a sneaking suspicion that Mai and Isis might know (girls were sneaky like that) but… MARIK?!

And what was worse: what if Marik decided to _tell Seto_?!

Stopping dead in his tracks, Joey made a quick decision, spun around and started marching back to the glade. No matter what it'd take, he'd convince Marik to shut up about it all! He'd beat him to a bloody pulp if he had to!

But Joey had only taken a few steps when something big and black fell from a tree behind him with a surprised shriek. Joey jumped and spun around again, staring wide-eyed at the heap of dark grey dragon lying before him.

"M…Mokuba?!" He asked as the younger dragon-brother scrambled to his feet.

"Oh! H-h-hi, Joey!" Mokuba said in an overly cheerful way and tried to fold his wings. "What's up?"

"What on earth are you _doing_," Joey asked and kept staring at him.

"N-nothing! Nothing at all! Just, you know… climbing…"

"Climbing?"

"In trees!" A nervous laugh. "Cause you know, that's what kids my age do! We climb in trees and such! Nothing unnatural about that! It's completely natural! It is, isn't it?!"

Joey was just about to cut of his little rant when Yugi and Ryou came running from between a few trees, wide-eyed and smiling.

"Mokuba!" Ryou called. "Did it work this time? Did you do it? Did you-"

Mokuba cut him off before he could finish that sentence by spinning around and fixing him with a half-crazy smile.

"Oh, Yugi and Ryou! You caught up! I was just telling JOEY here about how my attempt at _climbing trees _failed once again! Darn! But you know, practice makes perfect, so we'd better run off and keep practicing _somewhere else_!"

At the mention of Joey's name, Ryou quickly closed his mouth and looked down, seemingly embarrassed. Yugi looked just as awkward.

Joey looked from one to the other, confused and still a little shocked by Mokuba's hasty appearance. He could, however, easily tell that they were hiding something form him.

"Guys…" he said slowly, "what's going on?"

"Nothing!" Mokuba answered way too quickly, and whirled around again to smile too widely at Joey. "We're not doing anything! Except climbing trees! 'Cause you know, that's what lads our age do! What makes you think something's wrong? There's nothing wrong with climbing trees! I mean, just because I'm a dragon doesn't mean I can't do what other boys do, right? Okay, so I'm a bit bigger, but I can still-"

"Mokuba, just tell me what's wrong," Joey said and rolled his eyes.

"I told you, there's nothing wrong!" Mokuba blabbered on. Joey was pretty sure if he had been human, Mokuba's face would have been turning blue by now. "Why won't you believe me, Joey? I mean, come on, aren't we friends? Of course I wouldn't lie to a friend! What gives you that stupid idea?! Don't you trust me, Joey? That kinda makes me sad! I trust _you_, you know! And-"

"Mokuba," Yugi cut in, somewhat amused, "don't you think it's better if we just tell Joey?"

The young dragon's head whipped around and glared at him.

"There's nothing to _tell_, Yugi!" He hissed, suddenly very defensive.

"Come on, Mokuba," Ryou cut in gently. "This is Joey. He's our friend! You can tell him."

After a moment's hesitation, Mokuba turned and peered at Joey somewhat suspiciously. The blond just looked right back at him with confusion written all over his face. After a few seconds of silence, Mokuba sighed.

"Okay, I'll tell you," he said quietly. "But you have to promise you won't laugh!"

"I won't laugh," Joey assured him and silently wondered what his three friends could be up to.

"Okay," Mokuba said after peering at him for a little while longer. "Okay… I'll tell you."

He took a deep breath. And another… and a third…

"Just get it over with," Ryou advised him.

"Okay," Mokuba said again. "You see Joey, the thing is… I… I can't… I don't know… I… uh… I… um…"

"Today, Mokuba," Yugi stressed, and the drakling glared at him.

"Shut up!" he said. "This is hard enough without you pushing me!"

"Then come out and say it!" Yugi answered.

"I _will_!" Mokuba barked in irritation, and then he turned back around, stood up straighter, looked right at Joey and said:

"You see, I… Idon'tknowhowtof-fly."

Joey stared at him.

And stared at him.

And the goggled him a little.

He knew it was wrong. He knew he had promised, and that it was clearly a very insensitive thing to do… but Mokuba looked so adorably embarrassed when he said it… that combined with Yugi's and Ryou's sombre expressions made it impossible to hold back.

Joey snorted once.

And then he stared to howl with laughter.

Clutching his sides laughing, he could see how Mokuba's embarrassment changed to shock and then to hurt, and how the dragon lowered his head and seemed to shrink to a small ball. Ryou and Yugi were at his sides instantly, patting his scales and throwing death-glares at Joey.

"Thanks a lot, Joey," Mokuba murmured. "I really needed that."

"I'm… sorry… so sorry!" Joey breathed and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm so sorry, Mokuba, it's just that you looked so…" seeing the looks the two young mages were throwing at him, Joey cleared his throat and straightened. "All I'm saying is... you're a _dragon_! How can you _not _fly?"

"It's simple," Mokuba snapped. "You just go _down_ instead of _up_!" Then he looked away again, and Joey swore his bottom lip was trembling. "It's not easy to learn how to fly when you've been locked up in a cave for the biggest part of your life."

"Locked up in a…" Joey trailed off and stared at him. "Surely Seto must've let you out pretty often."

"You'd be surprised," Yugi muttered, clearly still mad at Joey for laughing. "Before me and Ryou were born, Seto didn't trust _anyone!_ He only went out to hunt food, and Mokuba _never _went out. Apparently, he only ever held contact with the village eldest. When we were born, and Seto realized we had magical powers, he let us play with Mokuba. _Very reluctantly._"

"So you see, it's only for the last few years that I've been able to practice," Mokuba murmured. "And not very often either."

Joey was suddenly very, very ashamed of himself. He took at step towards his friends and looked at Mokuba with the most remorseful expression he could muster.

"Shit, Mokie, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize…"

"Of course you didn't," Mokuba said coldly and turned around. "Well, now we really gotta get going. I need all the practise I can get."

Joey watched them go with a sad expression, but then he quickly snapped out of it and ran after them. He fell into step beside Mokuba.

"Well," he said, "if we're gonna teach you how to fly, we'll need some kind of plan."

Mokuba looked at him with surprised eyes. Joey smiled back.

"That was really, really shitty of me, Mokie, and I really am sorry! Please, the least I can do is help you with this."

Yugi and Ryou looked between Joey and Mokuba, quietly wondering what the dragon would do. Mokuba was silent for a long moment, and then at last, he smiled teasingly at Joey.

"You're lucky I'm such a nice guy!" he said. "It's gonna cost you to make it up to me!"

"I guess that's just fair," Joey said with an answering smile, feeling relief flow through him. "Sooo… how far have you gotten? What's your strategy?"

"Well," Ryou said. "This far, we only have Mokuba climbing trees and trying to fly from them. We don't dare go any higher; he might hurt himself."

"But as you might have noticed, it doesn't work too well thus far," Yugi said with a small smile.

"Can't you ask Seto about it?" Joey asked. "Can't he give you lessons?"

"Already tried that," Mokuba said dejectedly. "He only told me I had to figure it out on my own: that it's something you can't _learn_, but must _discover_. Personally, I just think he doesn't want me to learn. He's such a worry-wart!"

"We even asked Yami once, and he gave him a lesson, but apparently, the way birds and dragons fly are very different from each other." Yugi cut in.

"So asking for help is useless," Joey concluded and thoughtfully looked up at the sky. "Dragons flying… dragons flying… You know, I think I might've read a book or two about that. Maybe there's something in the libraries that can help us."

Yugi looked at Mokuba, Mokuba looked at Ryou, Ryou looked at Yugi, and then all three turned to look at Joey.

"We haven't tried the libraries," Ryou confessed.

"It might work, we've got nothing to lose," Yugi agreed.

Joey smiled widely.

"I guess you guys have forgiven me, right?" he said.

"Depends on what we find in the libraries," Mokuba said, but he smiled at Joey before he turned to walk back to the village, where Seto would be ready to give them a ride back up to the cave.

* * *

Two day's later all four of them could be found in one of the cave's libraries, along with Yami, Bakura and Marik. (Although the three last mentioned weren't helping them look much.) The room quite literally looked like a war-zone, and Joey was pleasantly reminded of his room at home. Books were strewn everywhere, the curtains at the window had been torn down and everywhere in the sea of books there were pillows and a few chairs strewn.

Their searching up until this day had been futile, but apparently, their patience would pay off, because suddenly, Yugi straightened up from the heap of books he had currently been buried in with a triumphant "AHA!"

"What?" Mokuba said and looked up from where he was just sorting already read books back into the shelf. "You found something?"

"You _bet_ I did!" Yugi said and stood up, making books fly around him. He walked over and sat down by the window, and Ryou, Joey, Mokuba and Yami gathered around him. Marik stayed slouched in the chair he had been occupying for most of the day, and Bakura didn't move from where he lay rolled up on a bed of pillows.

"'_The Art of Flying: a Noble Dragon-Virtue'_," Yugi raid and beamed at them. "Doesn't that sound right?"

"Completely," Ryou agreed and leaned in closer. "Come on, Yugi, read to us!"

Yugi opened the book, and after a few minutes of turning pages, he gave another triumphant little sound, put the book in his lap and started reading.

"'_The art of flying is as complicated as it is marvellous, and it usually takes a dragon several years to master, namely because it does not only include flapping wings and sailing on the winds. No, it is much harder for a dragon to fly than any bird, since dragons do not have hollow bones to make them lighter, nor do they have the thick feather-mail. For a dragon to fly, it takes magic. _

_Now, dragons are magical creatures by nature, but the hard part is to channel their magic, use it for flying purposes only. This procedure is extremely hard to explain, since most dragons themselves do not know how they do it. It is, after all, a genius technique developed over the centuries: they have it in their blood. Trying to explain it is like trying to explain to a blind man what colours look like; you know very well what it is because you have seen, felt and lived it, but there is no way to express it in words, because you cannot compare it to anything._"

Yugi fell silent, and turned a few more pages. In the end, he just shut the book.

"That's it," he said. "The rest of the book just talks about different styles, flying-moves and dragons that became famous for their flying. All in all, a pretty useless book."

"Don't say that," Ryou protested. "Now we know what we've been doing wrong: Mokuba must use his magic."

"It also explains why my lessons didn't help," Yami said from his place on Yugi's shoulder.

Joey stood up, stretched and turned to Mokuba.

"So what do you say, little guy?" he asked with a smile. "You wanna give it a try?"

"Sure… but I don't even know what to do," Mokuba said.

"How hard can it be," Joey said and gave him a gentle push to make him stand up. "The book said you're supposed to channel your magic, right? So the first thing you should do is try to _find_ this magic of yours!"

"How?"

"Close your eyes and search deep within yourself," Yugi suggested. "Yami always tells us to do that before a lesson."

Yami smiled gently at the boy, and Mokuba did as he had been told; he closed his eyes and frowned in concentration.

"Relax," Yami said. "The magic won't respond unless you're relaxed and welcomes it. Don't force it."

Mokuba nodded, and the frown disappeared.

A few minutes ticked by in complete silence, and everyone stared intently at the young dragon.

And then, completely unexpected, Mokuba yelped.

"There's… there's something in here! Inside me!" He said in excitement. "I can't explain it… I don't really know what it is… but it feels alive! It feels like… a part of me!"

"That's very good," Yami praised. "Do you think you could try to coax it out? Or convince it to make you fly?"

"I think…" Mokuba's voice died away, and another few minutes passed in silence. Then at last he sighed in disappointment, and lowered his head. "It's not working. I can feel my magic flowing, but I'm not flying."

Another disappointed sigh and he had opened his eyes. Ryou made a move to rise, walk over and give him a comforting hug.

"Oi, genius," Bakura suddenly growled from his bed. "You could always try flapping your wings."

Everyone turned to stare in shock at him, and then turned back to Mokuba. The dragon shrugged, closed his eyes again and began flapping his wings.

And after a moment, his feet left the ground.

It wasn't much; only a few centimetres, but he _was_ flying! They could all see it!

"Mokuba!" Yugi said happily and stood up.

"I know! I know!" Mokuba said excitedly and opened his eyes. "I'm doing it!" He flapped his wings a little harder, and rose another few centimetres.

"It's so easy!" He said, and his grin looked like it would split his face at any moment. He was almost a metre above ground now.

Joey walked over to the door of the library and flung it open, then turned back and looked at him.

"Try to steer!" He suggested. "You think you can fly out the door and down the corridor?"

With his tongue sticking out of one corner of his mouth, and a concentrated frown on his face, Mokuba somehow managed to lean a little in the air and angle his wings a little. The large grin came back when his body easily slid to the side, and he quickly maneuvered himself out the door and down the corridor.

"He's a natural!" Ryou laughed as they all got up and followed him, Joey, Yugi and Ryou running to keep up, and Yami, Bakura and Marik following at a much slower pace. Mokuba was flying as if he had never done anything else, limberly turning around corners and even making a few loops in the air.

"Go, Mokuba!" Joey called after him. "Keep it up, it's looking great!"

Very soon, they had reached the room with the entrance, and Mokuba was hanging in the air by the edge of the opening, flapping his wings and oozing insecurity, looking at the extreme distance to the ground. He started flapping a little slower, sinking as he did, and very soon, his feet touched the ground again in an almost perfect landing. Joey and the others came up beside him.

"You wanna try it?" Joey asked and smiled broadly at him, nodding at the sky outside, which was covered in grey clouds this day.

"Yeah," Mokuba said, "But I don't know if I dare. What if I fall? What if I grow tired, or suddenly just can't fly anymore?"

"You know that's not gonna happen," Yugi said. "You just learned how to do it, and you're already an expert, Mokuba. You were born to do this!"

Mokuba looked at all of them with wide, insecure eyes, and Joey's smile didn't falter for a moment as he patted him on the head.

"We know you'll make it, Mokie," he said softly. "I'm not even worried."

"I'll be right beside you, if it helps," Yami promised.

For another few seconds, Mokuba looked at them with his dark, beautiful eyes, then he took a deep breath and smiled.

"Thanks, guys," he said gratefully. He turned around towards to opening, spread his wings and leaped.

One second later he was _flying_!

Joey, Yugi, and Ryou cheered in triumph and jumped up and down in excitement. Marik clapped his hands and nodded in acknowledgement, and even _Bakura _gave an approving smirk. Yami changed into his larger form and stood still for a moment to let Yugi climb onto his back, before he threw himself out the opening and soared after the young dragon.

Ryou and Joey kept calling encouragements to Mokuba as they watched him twist and turn in the air as if he had never done anything else. They watched him dance with Yami, and they watched as he laughed in pure happiness. Joey felt something warm and pleasant spread inside him at the sight.

"What's going on here?"

Joey, Ryou, Marik and Bakura turned around to see Seto and Isis standing in the door, looking puzzled. The two had locked themselves in Seto's office today again, and it wasn't until now that Joey realized he hadn't seen them all day.

He felt a little bad: Seto was the first person they should have gotten when Mokuba learned how to fly, but there hadn't been time.

"Isis! Seto!" Ryou sounded breathless with excitement and happiness. "Come and see!"

The healer and the dragon stepped into the room and walked over to stand beside them in the opening. Joey watched as Seto's beautiful blue eyes widened in surprise at the sight of his younger brother's loops and twist in the air.

"Mokuba?!"

"The one and only!" Joey said with a grin at him, but Seto had his eyes completely fixed on his brother.

"He's… flying," he said after a moment, and Joey could see his reptile-like face soften into a happy little smile. For some reason, Joey's breath caught in his throat. "He's really flying. But how…?"

"I believe you should thank our little blond human," Marik suddenly leered, and Joey turned to give him a death-glare. "He figured out how to do it."

"You did?" Seto asked, and Joey suddenly felt happy and embarrassed at the same time.

"We found the solution in a book," he protested and smiled almost shyly at Seto.

"But it was your idea that we should look in the library, Joey," Ryou piped up.

"I didn't help anymore than any of you did!" Joey protested.

"It was still your idea," Marik cut in with a lazy smirk.

Joey was just about to protest again, when he suddenly noticed that Seto was smiling at him in a way he had never seen before. There was something almost… _tender _in his eyes that made Joey's heart swell.

"No matter what you did, you have my thanks," his dark voice was soft, and Joey found it very hard to fight down his blush. "This… I've never seen Mokuba so happy. So thank you, Joey."

The mention of his name- not human, or mutt, or idiot, or any other thing Seto used to call him- was an added bonus, and Joey felt like melting into a pile of warm goo. God, Seto should smile more often!

"Big brother!" Mokuba landed softly beside Ryou in the opening, and Joey almost had to shield his eyes at the intensity of his smile. "Did you see? Did you? I fly now! And it's so easy! It feels incredible! You did see, didn't you?"

"I saw, Mokuba," Seto said with another soft smile. He suddenly reached out one arm and pulled the drakling to him in a warm, loving hug. "And I am so very proud of you." He nuzzled the scales in his brother's head, and Mokuba glowed.

"I can't get enough!" He stated as soon as Seto had let go of him. "I don't ever want to stop! Come on, Ryou, ride with me!"

Ryou looked taken aback as Mokuba spread his wings, making room for him to sit on his back.

"Oh, I'm fine, Mokie. I don't really think you can carry both of us anyway."

"I can!" Mokuba promised. "Please, Ryou? You're not very heavy anyway, and I know you'll love it!"

And out came the puppy dog-eyes. Ryou glanced questioningly at Seto, but the older dragon only shrugged.

"It will help him build up the strength in his wings," he admitted, then fixed Mokuba with a stern look. "But if you get tired, you must immediately get back here. And don't fly too far. I want to be able to see you."

Mokuba cheerfully promised to stay in sight as Ryou gave in and somewhat hesitantly climbed onto his back and positioned himself with one leg on either side of his neck.

"If you drop him," Bakura growled, and looked very unhappy with the turn of events, "I'll torture you until you die, drakling."

Seto gave him a look which clearly said 'I'd like to see you try', and Mokuba, who was as used to Bakura's threats as everyone else in the cave, simply nodded and took flight once more.

"Look after him," Seto asked Yami, whom had also landed and still had Yugi sitting on his back. The big black hawk nodded and followed the drakling out of the opening.

The rest of the group remained standing in the entrance, watching their friends soar happily. Isis and Seto were watching Mokuba with pride shining in their eyes, Bakura were staring at Ryou intently, Marik had grown tired of the mushy mood and left the room, and Joey was switching between staring at the ones flying, and glancing at Seto.

"It must be wonderful to be able to fly," Isis said softly after a while, and shot a small smile at Joey.

"Yeah," he agreed. "That was the thing I loved most about dragons when I was a kid. I always dreamt of becoming one, and just spending day at end flying. I really envy that ability."

His eyes were fixed on Mokuba now, so Joey didn't notice how Seto froze, or how Isis gave him a soft shove, accompanied with a meaningful glance in Joey's direction. He also didn't notice how Seto answered the look with an embarrassed glare, or how he then shot Joey a thoughtful look.

"Would you like to try?" He blurted out at last, and Joey turned to stare at him. "I can't turn you into a dragon," Seto added quickly, "but maybe you will get a better idea of how it is if you… ride with me."

Joey kept staring at him blankly for a second. Was Seto offering what he thought he was offering? Was he saying Joey could… ride on his back? Joey had only ever seen two people ride on Seto's back when he was flying and that was Isis and Mokuba. And then only when they were going down to the village. It was probably a lot nicer to ride on his back than being clutched in his hand, Joey thought.

"It's probably nicer than being carried around in my hand," Seto said with a crooked smile, as if he had read Joey's mind.

Joey made a quick decision and gave him his brightest and most sincere smile.

"That would be so cool! Thanks Seto!" He said.

Was it just him, or did Seto look a little… shy?

"Well then," Seto said quickly and spread his wings the same way Mokuba had done for Ryou, but he also lowered his body to give Joey a better chance of climbing onto him. "Get on, before I change my mind."

Doing as he had been told, Joey quickly climbed onto him, using Seto's front leg as a footstool to reach. Once he was seated with one leg on each side of Seto's broad neck, the dragon walked over to the opening and stopped.

"You ready?"

Joey felt a small ball of fear form in his stomach. When Seto held him in his hand, there was no way he would fall, and Joey knew that. Therefore he had never really been afraid to fly with Seto before. Now he had nothing to hold on to, and nothing holding him. All he could do was clutch with his legs, and hope that Seto didn't drop him. Even so, he'd be damned if he turned back now. He had wanted to try this since he was a kid. Besides… he trusted Seto.

"Ready."

And then the ground beneath his feet was no more.

Isis and Bakura watched Seto lunge himself out the opening and spread his wings with Joey sitting on his back. Bakura snorted.

"Are those two idiots meant for each other, or what?"

"You only _now_ figured that out, Bakura?" Isis asked and looked at him with tinkling eyes.

For a few horrible seconds, Joey thought they were falling, and he almost panicked, but then Seto spread his wings wide and just _soared_. His legs reflexively latched on to Seto for all he was worth, and Joey swayed, completely off balance. But then Seto steadied himself in the air and Joey found a new kind of balance. His legs relaxed, and suddenly he realized that he was _flying_.

He could feel the muscles in Seto's back working beneath him, and the wind in his face, the sight of the ground far under them, the grey cloudy sky above them, the weightlessness, the freedom… it all blended together to one single feeling…

And Joey couldn't even begin to describe how fantastic it felt.

Suddenly Seto made a sharp turn, and Joey, completely caught off guard, quickly bent forward and latched on to the dragon throat with his arms to make sure he wouldn't fall. When no more violent lurches came, Joey dared open his eyes and take a look at Seto. From his place, he could see that the dragon was actually smirking, and in an instant, Joey realized he had done that on purpose.

"You asshole!" He screamed over the wind in his ears. Seto heard him and gave a short laugh.

"If you're _scared_, human, I can always take you back to the cave. Maybe you aren't fit for this."

Even though his heart was pounding and his stomach was lurching, Joey recognized a challenge when he heard one, and not even when he was flying hundreds of metres above ground was he ready to back down.

"Bring it on, you oversized excuse of an iguana!" He shouted and sat up straight again, flexing the muscles in his legs and tightening his hold on Seto, as an answer to the challenge. Seto's smirk widened.

"Don't think I'll hold back!" He shouted back, and then flapped his wings even more, accelerating. He made sharp turns, twisted in the air and changed altitude so fast it almost looked like a dance.

Joey, who had strong muscles after a life of training and horseback-riding, latched on for all he was worth, determined to not let Seto win. His heart was hammering, and he was scared shitless- he almost fell off more than once- but at the same time, the adrenaline was pumping, and a strange feeling of exhilaration was welling up in him.

It was insane, terrifying, foolish, dangerous and to Joey, even better than a good fight!

It wasn't long before Joey found his balance again; he learned how he was supposed to lean, he felt how hard to clutch with his legs, he realized that he could support himself better by putting his hands as backups behind him on Seto's back, and suddenly he wasn't afraid anymore. All that was left was the wonderful feeling of excitement which Joey was sure would never disappear.

Seto made a sudden dive towards the lake beneath them, going so fast it felt like they were going to crash, and not straightening out until they were less than a metre above the surface! Joey could see the water moving as the wind pressure from Seto's wings hit it, and he could see the people of the village come running towards the beach, laughing and calling out to them while Seto flew in a circle around the lake, so close the tips of his wings dipped in the water.

In a moment of temporary insanity, Joey bent down, almost sliding off of Seto, and dipped his hand in the water. It sprayed around his fingers, and he cupped it and made a splashing motion at Seto's head, throwing some water in his face. The dragon yelped in surprise and turned his head slightly to glower at Joey, but the prince simply grinned at him. Smirking, Seto decided that they had had enough of the water, and started to steer his body upwards.

Joey could feel gravity pulling at him where he was dangling from Seto's side, and at one heart-stopping moment, he realized that he would fall.

But then a dragon-paw was there, half pushing-half lifting him back into his place, and Joey shot his companion another grin, this time grateful.

Higher and higher they flew, and very soon the ground was once again a tiny model below them. Mokuba and Ryou were suddenly flying beside them, and for a moment, they kept Seto and Joey company in the air, but then they took off on their own again, leaving the two alone in their own temporary little world. Once, Joey caught a glimpse of Yami and Yugi beneath them to the left, but then they were gone too.

And Seto was still rising. Higher they went, soon higher than the hollow mountain's top, soon higher than all the birds. Joey could feel the wetness against his cheeks as his dragon penetrated the heavy clouds. For a few minutes, they were surrounded by damp grey fog, and then…

Then they were above it. And it really was true, Joey thought; the sky is always blue above the clouds. The great, clear, burning sun quickly warmed his body, which had been chilled by the winds and clouds only moments before. Up here, _the_ _clouds_ were the ground: a white, fluffy, soft-looking ground, which swirled like powder-snow when you touched it with wings and hands and claws.

Here, the air was thin and cold, but that was okay, because Joey's breath had been stolen long ago. Here, there were nothing but him and his warm, strong, secure dragon. There were nothing but the beauty of the world and their happiness. There were nothing but their laughter and awe and pounding hearts, and when they finally started to descend again, they were still breathless, and the sun still seemed to shine and the warmth still lingered in them, even though the sun and sky was once again hidden above the thick coat of clouds.

They were still warm, because ultimately, they hadn't received the heat from the sun, but from each other.

Seto didn't bring them back to the mountain and the others, and Joey didn't ask why. Maybe he, just like Joey, didn't want to let go of this feeling- whatever it was- just yet. Joey didn't care that much, because, quite frankly, he didn't want to go back either.

They ended up sitting on a seemingly endless meadow far from the mountain and the forest and any other living creatures, where the sky wasn't covered in grey, and where the air smelled like summer. Joey had his legs spread out in the soft grass before him and was leaning back on his hands, and his neck was craned so that he could look at the sky above them. It was just starting to darken: they had spent the whole day flying.

Seto was also lying in the grass with his big wings folded. He had bent his body in a kind of half circle around Joey- almost as if he was wrapping himself around the human- and he too was watching the sky with his deep blue eyes.

Together, they were a picture of peace and satisfaction.

"You know," Seto said casually after a long, comfortable silence. "If we hadn't struck that deal about trust, you probably would have tried to escape now. Waited until I fell asleep or something, and then just run away." He kept his eyes fixed on the deep red sky above.

Joey glanced at him with raised eyebrows. What was Seto trying to say? They both knew he wouldn't do that. Like he said, they _had_ made a deal. The dragon could catch him in less than thirty seconds, anyway. Was this some kind of way for the dragon to tell him that Seto trusted him and was ready to let him go? Or was it something else? It didn't really matter anyway; there was a part of Joey that didn't want to go, and right now, that part was in control of all of him.

"Nah," he said and folded his arms under his head like a pillow. "I would be way too relaxed to do that."

Seto shot him a glance, and even though it was only a quick look, Joey got the impression that Seto had looked right through him. They were silent for a moment longer, and watched the sky turn a dark shade of violet. At last, Seto broke the silence once more.

"Are you happy here, Joey?"

The blonde blinked at him. The question had come completely out of the blue, and threw him totally of balance.

"Huh?"

"Well, not here, exactly, but… Do you like living in the cave," Seto clarified. "With us?"

"Uh…" now what was t_his_? "Sure, I think so."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I mean..." Joey sat up straighter and raked a hand through his hair. "Everyone's been really nice to me, even though all I've been talking about is leaving. Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba are great! Oh, and Isis and Yami too, of course. Bakura and Marik… they're not the nicest guys around, but I like them anyway. And I never thought I'd find a mountain cave cosy, but well… I do." He grinned up at Seto for a moment. "Must be all the curtains, torches and paintings everywhere that do it."

Seto met his gaze with a deep, dark look of his own, and Joey wondered silently what Seto would have looked like as a human. Joey guessed he would have been very handsome. And tall; Seto was the kind of person you would always look up at, both physically and mentally. He'd have been elegant, strong… and one would have been able to drown in those sharp blue eyes. Hell, Joey already was…

"Would it really be that bad if you stayed?"

The softly spoken question snapped Joey out of his thoughts, and he blinked at Seto a few times to make sure he had heard right. Once Seto's grave expression told him the dragon was dead serious, he sighed and looked away. He couldn't think straight while looking into those eyes!

"I'm sorry but… I _can't_, Seto!" Why did it sound as if he really _was_ sorry? Oh… because he was. "I have a family that's thinking about me at home. I can't just abandon them."

"You can become part of this family." Seto offered silently.

"It doesn't work that way! It's way more complicated!" Joey was growing frustrated now. How could he explain this to Seto, when he wasn't even sure he wanted to leave himself?! "If someone kidnapped you and tried to keep you away from your family and home, wouldn't you want to go back?!"

"But you like it here."

"That's not the point! It's… I… ah, just forget it! Gods, you're so thick sometimes!"

For once, Seto didn't answer. He just stared back up at the sky again. It was starting to turn dark blue now, and a few faint stars were starting to show. It was such a peaceful sight. It almost made one nostalgic. The silence between them lasted much longer this time, before Seto cleared his throat again.

"Mokuba would be sad if you left," he stated causally. "He's grown very fond of you."

Joey scoffed.

"Yeah right. We barely know each other."

Seto's head snapped around to look at him, and his eyes had a strange glint to them. Not gentle enough to be classified as a friendly look, but not sharp enough to be a glare.

"Are you stupid?" He asked. "He knows you well enough to decide whether he likes you or not! He likes you because you're funny, and nice, and easy to talk to. He likes you because you're loyal to the people you love, no matter what. He likes you because-"

Suddenly he cut himself off abruptly and swallowed, as if he had been about to say something he really shouldn't. He sighed heavily and looked back up at the stars. Joey was staring at Seto in almost desperation.

What had he been about to say?! _Oh please, don't just change the subject!_ Joey didn't know why, but his heart was screaming at him that he _had to know_ what Seto had been about to say. It was all he could do not to just beg the dragon to continue.

Luckily, it looked like Seto wanted to get this out of his system; once he started to speak again, his voice was softer and slower, as if he was choosing his words very carefully.

"He likes you because you don't judge others for what they happen to look like. He likes you because you have such strong beliefs, and no one can make you change your mind but you… he likes you because you have a simple view of things, and he needs that in his own, complicated life." He closed his eyes and sighed again, as if to gather strength. "He likes you because you're beautiful… and he likes you because you're _you_."

Joey stared at him with a mix of disbelief, shock and happiness written all over his face. Seto still refused to look at him, but Joey didn't need him to. He had said all those things…

_He thinks I'm beautiful…_

He wasn't talking about Mokuba anymore. The way he said it… it _couldn't_ be about Mokuba! Had he _wanted _Joey to understand what he meant? What _did_ it mean? Did it even matter?

_He said I'm beautiful._

So what would happen now? What was he supposed to say to something like that? And why was there a huge knot forming in his throat, and why were his eyes starting to water?

_He said he thinks I'm beautiful! _

"And…" Joey voice sounded hoarse, and he swallowed, "would Mokuba be happy if I said I'll stay?"

Seto finally turned around and looked at him. Once again Joey was pulled in by those blue eyes, and suddenly the throat-knot grew even bigger, and he was starting to feel light-headed and his stomach was starting to do flip-flops. And he knew he really wasn't supposed to feel like this for a… a… for _Seto,_ but he couldn't really make himself believe it was a bad thing. It couldn't be a bad thing, because it felt really good. Not _despite_ the knot, and the light-headedness and stomach flip-flops, but _because _of them! It was like being drunk, only better, and Joey almost forgot he'd asked a question until Seto spoke again.

"He would be very happy indeed," Seto answered softly, and for some reason, his dark, rumbling voice made Joey's knees shake, and he was suddenly very thankful that he was sitting down.

"_Would_ you stay?" Seto continued with a raised eyebrow. "For Mokuba?"

For some reason, the urge to go back home had disappeared almost completely. Instead it had been replaced by a deep, deep desire to stay. Stay with Mokuba, Yugi, Ryou, Yami, Bakura, Isis, Marik, Mai… and Seto. Stay with _Seto_. The thought made his soul purr, his heart beat faster, and his head tell him to go for it.

And then faint pictures of his mom, his grandfather, Serenity… flashed through his mind, and he left cloud nine to come back down to earth. Why was this so hard all of a sudden?! It shouldn't be! And he really didn't want to think about that now. Not when he and Seto were getting along for once, and everything was so peaceful.

Joey sighed and smiled a little at Seto.

"Tell him… I'll consider it."

Seto seemed to be satisfied with this answer, because he nodded and looked back up at the sky. After studying the dragon-prince's profile for a moment, Joey turned to watch the sky too. It was completely dark now, and the stars were burning brightly. Behind the tree-tops, the full moon was starting to rise.

That sight made Joey falter for a moment. Hadn't there been a full moon on the night of his birthday? But that would mean that he had been living in the dragon cave for a whole month!

Could that really be right? It sure as hell didn't _feel _like a month. But then again, time always flies when you're having fun, and he had had the time of his life during the days in the cave. Maybe people had stopped looking for him. Maybe they thought he was dead…

The thought made him tired. He didn't want to think about things like that right now. He wanted to enjoy this wonderful night in peace. Was that really to much to ask for? Hadn't he deserved that at least?

Joey yawned loudly and lay down. He rolled onto his side, so that he could watch Seto without turning his head, and put one arm under his head.

"I'm exhausted," he declared softly. "I think I'll take a nap for a little while. Wake me up when it's time to fly back."

"I'll do that," Seto told him softly and continued to watch the night sky.

Joey watched the magnificent creature before him for a long while, until his eyelids slowly started to drop, and his breathing evened out. But right before he fell asleep, he sighed.

"Oh, and Seto?"

The dragon turned and raised an eyebrow at him, to show that he was listening. Joey's eyes slid completely shut.

"Tell Mokuba… That I like him too."

Seto blinked and stared at the young human for a moment while Joey's breathing deepened and he slipped into the world of dreams with a small smile on his face. Now, when no one was there to witness it, a gentle smile slowly spread over Seto's face, and he reached out a claw to gently stroke the hair out of Joey's eyes.

"Yeah," he whispered gently and wrapped his tail lightly around the blonde. "I'll make sure to tell him that."

**Well, I got requests for longer chapters. Hope this was at least somewhat satisfying! **

**Sorry for the long wait, but I've been busy, and this chapter is FIFTEEN FRIGGIN' PAGES LONG!! Took me forever to write, not to mention the CHECK THROUGH! So yeah, I have my reasons! **

**As per usual, thanks to those who reviewed! **

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**I'VE GOT MY FIRST EVER FANART!! ONCE MORE, THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH RUBISORA FOR MAKING IT!**

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**Okay, now I'm done! Have a good time until next chapter! And DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! **

**R&R!! **


	16. Malik

Chapter fifteen: Malik

_The pattern was hard to decipher. It didn't make any sense, and at the same time, it was so very easy. She should have understood this. It wasn't hard. The pictures were crystal clear, but the meaning was… hidden? Complicated? Twisted? She wasn't certain. The only thing she knew for sure was that she didn't understand. _

_At first, it was two dragons. But not the big and small one, like she had expected, but two grown ones. One stood out against the flames with its silver white scales. It had long wings, slender muscles and blue eyes. A magnificent animal. But that was also all it was. _

_An animal. _

_The other seemed to belong in the fire. Its slender golden body looked like part of the flames. It was a bit smaller then its companion, obviously the submissive one, but certainly not any less fiery. Powerful and beautiful; it was submissive because it __**chose**__ to be, not because it was forced to. _

_They were flying, dancing; it looked like they were mating, even though the only times they touched was when their wings caressed each other now and then. It was… fascinating. _

_And then the image changed. _

_No longer dragons, but men. One young and passionate and golden and beautiful… the other just as young in body, but with wisdom beyond his years, thick chestnut hair and sky-blue eyes. Tightly entwined naked bodies; it looked like they wanted to crawl into one another, which they probably did. Frantic kisses and caresses: in a hurry, not much time, but no less pleasurable because of that. _

_What did it __**mean**__?! _

_If she didn't know better, she'd say that the dragons and men were the same, but… that wasn't possible! A creature has one form! It can't change, it can't choose, you are what you are born as! Unless you are cursed or enchanted, but even curses and spells fade in the end, and you go back to your old self._

_So what was this… __**mix**__… the pattern showed her?_

_She didn't understand! _

"Witch?"

Rebecca blinked out of her trance and looked up with an irritated scowl. She had always _hated_ it when she was interrupted in the middle of watching the fire. Her sisters had always known better than to bother her; even the _queen_ had been reluctant to send for her when she was _seeing_. If Rebecca's memory served her right, she had killed at least two servants, and harmed a few sisters when they had interrupted her.

And now, as she looked up at the bothersome human girl, she was tempted to make off with her for her insolence…. But no, she still needed her and those pig-like men they travelled with, if she wanted to find and exterminate the dragons. It had been her queen's last wish, for them to be destroyed... her beautiful, brilliant queen…

"Yes, darling?" she said, hiding her irritation behind a raised eyebrow and a condescending smile. She knew the girl hated it when she talked to her like that: it wasn't easy being put down by a girl several years younger than you.

Téa frowned, but sat down opposite Rebecca: a sure sign that she wanted to talk. Rebecca sighed mentally and steeled herself for another one of the girl's boring speeches.

"What were you doing?" Téa asked, trying to beat around the bush.

"I was watching the fire," Rebecca said, "sometimes, it shows me things. Such as enemies, traitors, lovers… the passed, and sometimes, even the future."

"What did you see this time?" Téa asked, clearly curious.

Rebecca fixed her with a look.

"That is for me to know," she said. The witch didn't want to tell anyone what she had seen… at least not until she had figured out what it meant. "Was there a reason for you to interrupt me?"

"Well…" Téa said, and suddenly her curiosity was replaced by insecurity. "It's about that village we attacked a few days ago…"

Ah, so she was finally going to bring it up. The girl had been acting strange ever since they left that destroyed village behind, with all the dead bodies still littering the ground. Since then, Téa had been a lot more quiet- thank the gods- but Rebecca had been expecting her to bring this up. It was obvious the girl wasn't used to keeping things bottled up. She always had to get it out somehow.

"The things we did back there…" Téa started, and Rebecca heard that she rather wanted to use 'you' than 'we'. "Was it really necessary?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes inwardly, and sighed.

"As I said earlier, we needed some special tools and materials which were available in that village. It is not my fault that our dear travelling-companions practically started a riot. I just solved the problem."

"You killed a lot of people," Téa murmured and looked away, her eyes dark. "Innocent people… children… old… you locked them in buildings and burned them to death."

"I needed some practice," Rebecca said with an evil grin. "I was afraid I'd gotten rusty in the last four-hundred years. Now I know I haven't: I'm fully prepared to meet our dear dragons."

"You are evil," Téa hissed and glared at her. "How can you talk about it so carelessly? All that blood and suffering-"

Rebecca threw her head back and laughed. She couldn't help it: the girl was amusing.

"I'm evil?" She asked with a smirk which a twelve year old shouldn't have been able to muster. "And what about you, my girl? You didn't try to stop me from killing those people. You were too _afraid_ of me! And don't try to deny it! Not to mention this little plot of yours to take over your country's throne?"

"That's different!" Téa sputtered. "I have my reasons-"

"So do I," Rebecca cut her off. "Who are you to tell me if they are justified or not. Worry more about your own conscience."

Téa sat completely still for a moment, not knowing what to say. Rebecca sighed inwardly and stood up, patting the girl on the shoulder in a motherly fashion.

"What you need to understand," she said, "is that you're playing with the big girls now. Set your priorities straight or get off the train, girl. Because I'm in charge here, and there's nothing you can do about it."

And then she walked away, too irritated to wait for the girl to come up with an answer. It was very hard to find interesting conversation-material in her current company.

Keith was sitting in front of the fire with the rest of their gang when Rebecca walked by. She threw him a look.

"In the next village we pass, I want you all to get yourselves some nice strong axes," she said, and Keith stared at her dumbly. "We will be cutting down trees soon," she said before he could ask, "and build ourselves a catapult."

And then she walked off.

They were getting closer to their goal; she could feel it. a few more days and they would reach the edge of the forest. It was time to start making preparations for the catch itself. And this time, the dragons wouldn't survive. She allowed herself an evil smirk at the thought of her triumph. She _would _extinguish the dragons, and then she would be welcomed with open arms by her sisters in the land of the dead. Oh yes, she would succeed. For her queen's sake.

Now, if she could only figure out what that stupid fire was trying to say…

* * *

"That's Ultimecina, isn't it? The big one to the left?"

"It's _Gardi_mecina, human. _Gardi_. Ultimecina doesn't show until midnight."

"Right, right… but those three big ones, over there? They're… The Trinity, right?"

"Fiddelis, Favete and Feifet. Fidelity, protection and honesty, very good, human. You're not _completely _ignorant."

"Ah, shut up, mister Scales!"

Seto sighed in irritation and glared at Joey, but without the usual sharpness in his eyes. It was more of a playful glare. Joey wondered when he had learned to tell the difference between Seto's glares.

"You have made it a sport to come up with new, stupid names for me, haven't you, mutt?"

"Of course!"

Mokuba snickered from beside Joey, and the blond turned and winked at him.

"I do believe the children are misbehaving again," Isis said and looked from Joey and Mokuba, on her left, to Seto, on her right.

"I'll ground them later," Seto promised and rolled his eyes.

"I was talking about you too, Mister Scales."

Seto's growl couldn't quite drown out Joey's and Mokuba's laughter.

"You're terrible, all three of you," he concluded and looked back up at the dark, starry sky. It was late, and all four of them had made themselves comfortable in the library, by the window. The night was clear and beautiful, and the sky simply breathtaking: Joey had never seen so many stars before. And Isis and Seto were excellent teachers in astronomy.

Ever since his and Seto's "moment" on the meadow three days ago, everything had been as close to perfect as it could be! He hadn't done anything but play, laugh and hang out with his friends, and Joey had never been so… at peace with his life. The only dark clouds on his sky were the longing for his family, and the nightmares he still had every night.

Those were also the only things which kept him from telling Seto he'd stay.

The dragon's proposal hung like a charm on Joey's shoulders, confusing him, and at the same time filling him with a warm, happy feeling. It all confused him, because he had never thought he would feel any kind of attachment to any place other than Domino and his family. But… well, he did. Mokuba was like a brother, Isis and Mai like older sisters, Yugi, Ryou, Yami, Bakura and Marik very close friends- maybe not like Tristan and Duke, but not far from it.

And Seto…

Joey hadn't been brave enough yet to properly analyze his feelings for the dragon. All he knew was that Seto was a close friend, despite their differences, and Joey held him very high in his heart.

_How high?_ That was the question he couldn't answer yet.

On the other hand, he had a _real _family. A _real _sister, a _true _mother and grandfather… and Joey loved them more than anything… so why was he hesitating?

Joey sighed inwardly and frowned up at the sky outside the window. It felt as if he had gone over these things a thousand times already, and he was still no closer to finding the answer to his questions. He highly suspected they were hidden in his feelings for Seto, but… as mentioned earlier; he wasn't ready to face those yet. It was a very complicated situation, and the fact that Seto was still waiting for his answer didn't make anything better.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud yawn from beside him, and he turned his head in time to see Mokuba closing his mouth and rubbing his eyes in a cute manner.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you stay up so late," Seto said with a frown. "Go to bed, little bother."

"Don't wanna," Mokuba whined. "You always tell me to go to bed! I'm four hundred and thirteen years old, Seto! It's so unfair!"

"And your immature whining definitely makes you seem older," Seto said with a roll of his eyes and started to stand up. "Let's go."

"I'll take him, master Seto," Isis said softly and stood up. "I'm getting tired myself. Come along, master Mokuba."

Mokuba started to protest again, but Joey didn't hear what he said.

His heart had made a little flip at the thought of him and Seto all alone again…. He hadn't told Isis what had happened that night three days ago, and he was pretty sure Seto hadn't told her either, but still the woman shot him knowing looks now and then, and it almost seemed like she was trying to get Joey and Seto alone more often. It was unnerving. Especially when she smiled that mysterious smile… like she was doing right now!

Joey looked away, irritated when he felt himself blush a little. Why was it a big deal, anyway?! It wasn't like he was in love with Seto! They couldn't exactly kiss romantically under the stars… that'd be plain weird! Seto would probably end up eating him or something…. Urgh, he'd stop thinking about that _right now_!

Isis and Mokuba had almost reached the door when a large black shadow suddenly landed on the windowsill in front of Seto and Joey.

"Seto…" Yami said, and his tone and grim expression made a knot of worry form in Joey's stomach. "You need to come with me."

"What's happened?" Seto asked coolly, but his glare was very intense, and Joey realized immediately that he was worried.

"There's no time to explain," the black hawk said urgently, shifting slightly. "You should all come with me down to the village."

"Me too?" Mokuba piped up.

"All of you," Yami sounded very irritated and stressed now.

"Yami-" Isis began, but Yami cut her off.

"Please, no stupid questions right now! Just come with me, you'll understand when you see it."

"Of course, let's go," Seto said, taking charge like usual. "Isis?"

The dark haired woman immediately walked over and climbed onto his back. Seto rose and walked towards the door: the window was too small for his large frame. Mokuba on the other hand spread his wings and jumped out of the window, flying around to meet them at the entrance with Yami.

At the entrance, Seto paused for a moment to grab Joey around the waist, like he had done so many times before. Joey was pretty used to being carried around by now, but he couldn't help but wonder if the grip really was more gentle than usual, or if he was just imagining it.

From the air, the village looked just as peaceful as usual. The large fire in the middle of it was burning like usual, and everyone was gathered around it- like usual. But judging by Yami's behaviour, something pretty serious must have happened.

Seto landed smoothly between two houses, and Mokuba landed a few metres in front of them- not as gracefully, but he was learning fast. Isis quickly slipped off the white dragon's back, and Joey was put down softly, then they all turned around to the gathering around the fire.

"What seems to be the problem?" Seto asked in a clipped tone, and his sharp blue eyes flew over everyone gathered. No one seemed to be hurt, at least.

At the question, a person in the crowd stood up and grinned at the dragon. Violet eyes twinkled in the firelight.

"Master Seto," a young male's voice said. "I know I'm not your favourite person, but I didn't think you viewed me as a problem."

Before Seto had the time to answer, Isis gave a short cry of delighted surprise and rushed forward, gathering the boy up in a warm, loving hug.

"Brother!" She cried happily. "Welcome back, my dearest of siblings! I have missed you so!"

The man smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her just as tightly. She was a few centimetres taller than him.

"I've missed you too, older sister. So much…"

"Malik!" Mokuba cried in delight and bounced over to hug him too. "Welcome back, Malik!"

"Well, there's certainly no emergency going on here," Seto stated sardonically, and shot Yami a look. "Very funny, featherhead."

Yami simply smirked in answer.

"It was our idea, Seto," Yugi piped up from where he had been sitting beside Malik. "We wanted to really surprise you, and we knew you would ask a bunch of questions, so…"

"Not surprising at all," Seto said and rolled his eyes. He then turned his attention to Malik, whom had finally let go of Isis and was just telling Mokuba how much the drakling had grown since last time. "Welcome back, Malik. I take it you have news for us from all around the world."

Malik seemed to sober at those words. He took a step towards Seto and made a small half-bow.

"I have, master Seto. None about other living dragons, though. I'm sorry."

"As if I expected you to have such news," Seto said. "One day you'll have to accept the fact that I and Mokuba are the last of our kind, Malik."

"Never, Seto. I know there are other dragons out there! I can _feel _it, and I will find them, no matter how far I have to travel, or how long it takes." Malik answered with conviction colouring his voice.

"Well, it's your own decision," Seto said nonchalantly, and Joey got the feeling they had had this discussion many times before.

"So formal all the time," Mai said and came up beside Malik, putting a hand on the younger man's shoulder and nodding in Joey's direction. "Malik, allow me to introduce to you, Prince Joey from Domino. He's our, or should I say _Seto's_, guest."

"A prince?" Malik said with a raised eyebrow as he inspected Joey from top to bottom. "That's mighty impressive. Nice to meet you, your highness. I'm Malik, Isis' brother and master Seto's servant."

"Just call me Joey," Joey said and shook Malik's hand with a smile. "I hate the formalities. And it's nice to meet you too. Isis has told me about you."

Malik returned his smile, and for the first time, Joey realized that this young man looked like a nicer, cleaner, human version of Marik. From his sharp chin to the violet eyes, the resemblance was incredible! The only difference was that Malik was smaller: where Marik stood a head higher than Joey, Malik and him met eye to eye.

"Well then," Malik said, "if we can throw the formalities away, you won't mind me asking you how the hell you ended up here, Joey?"

"It's a long story," Joey said and shot Seto a mocking glare, "and it begins and ends with that grumpy dragon."

Seto rolled his eyes and took a step closer to the fire.

"If you're going to exchange life stories, I think it would be best if we all just sat down. I believe you have a lot to tell us, don't you?"

"More than you can imagine, master Seto," Malik said, and looked somewhat taken aback by the nonchalant way Seto took Joey's comment. He didn't say anything, however. Just sat down by the fire again, surrounded by his sister and friends.

The night was spent like that. It had been pretty late when Malik showed up, but no one showed any signs of being tired. All the villagers and inhabitants of the cave spent the night telling stories. First of all, Malik wanted to know how Joey had ended up with the rest of them, which Joey happily told him. After that, Isis' blond brother entertained them all with stories of his many travels.

Joey was blown away by the things he'd seen and done. In his quest to find other surviving dragons, Malik seemed to have seen every small corner of the world. He could tell stories of places covered in ice, where the wind was cutting, wingless birds huddled together in groups of thousands and where black whales with huge white eyes hunted seals among the ice blocks in the water.

He could tell them of deep, deep forests where millions of species lived in harmony, where there were snakes as big as trees and trees as big as mountains. He told them of centaurs, sirens and ghosts, and of all the other mysteries in the world.

To Joey, it was mind-boggling.

By the time he had no stories left to tell, all the stars had disappeared from the sky, but there were still a few more hours until dawn. No one in his audience seemed tired, not even the small children of the village, or Mokuba, whom had been tired before.

"We should arrange a feast," Solomon, Yugi's grandfather said and gave Malik a friendly pat on the shoulder. "In order to celebrate your return home, my boy. With all the things you have gone through, you deserve a real party. And I mean a _real_ party!"

"I've seen many things, but nothing stands a chance against a party arranged by my sister and Mai," Malik said, and it looked like he meant it. Isis lovingly squeezed her brother's hand.

"There's an even bigger reason to celebrate since you missed your own birthday," she said with a pretended stern expression. "We expected you home for that."

"I was counting on being home for that, but I was distracted," Malik said, and now his expression sobered again. "By a very unusual discovery."

"I didn't think you had any more stories to tell," Ryou said with a smile. "Please, go on!"

"Well," Malik began and shot Seto a quick look. "I was making my way home after an interesting but futile expedition to an island in the middle of the great Middle Sea. In the middle of making preparations for my journey home, I heard of a mountain further north, where a city was said to be hidden. Curious as I am, I decided to travel there and take a look."

Just like during his other stories everyone were listening carefully.

"Once there, I learned that the city was said to be located at the top of the mountain. No one had actually seen it: no one in the surrounding villages dared go up there, since it was said to be a cursed city. But I still managed to rent a horse, and went up there to see for myself. And I am very glad I did."

Here, he took a breath and looked at Seto with a serious expression.

"I can't be sure," he said slowly, "but the town I found… I've never seen anything like it. Everything was built in ivory and marble, the buildings were almost touching the clouds, fine statues and clean wide roads, not a living soul anywhere… I've never seen anything so beautiful on my whole life…. It was like something out of a fairy tale… or a history book."

Seto looked at him in silence for a few moments.

"You think," he said at last, "that it was Tangea."

An excited murmur spread like fire through the crowd, and Joey looked at the people around him, confused.

"Tan- what?" he asked and looked at Yugi, beside him.

"Tangea," Yugi said. "The capitol of the dragon clan."

Joey's eyes widened and he turned around to look at Seto. The white dragon was sitting very still and looking at Malik intently, but otherwise, he didn't seem affected at all.

"I can't be sure," Malik repeated again, "You'll have to travel with me and take a look at it."

"It's not impossible that it _is_ Tangea," Seto said with a shrug. "I've never really wondered what happened to the city… it could have survived, even if my people didn't. It would be interesting to see it."

"So you'll come with me and take a look at it, then?" Malik asked.

"It would be nice to get away from the cave for a while," Seto said. "An excursion like that would be nice."

"Wait a minute!" Mokuba protested. "You're going away? Then I wanna come too!"

"Yeah, that'd be awesome!" Joey agreed. He'd heard stories of the Town of Dragons, as it was called in the history books, and the very idea that he might get to see its famous beauty with his own eyes was exhilarating. Joey just hoped Seto would let him come.

"It would be very educational," Yami said with a smile in Yugi's direction.

"I want to go too!" Ryou piped up.

"Perhaps I should just bring along the whole village!" Seto snapped at them. "We will discuss tomorrow who will come with me and Malik, as well as other arrangements. Right now, I'm tried and we're all going to bed."

And that was the end of that discussion.

Shortly thereafter, the crowd started to break up and everyone walked off in different directions. Joey finally realized how tired he was, and looking at all of his friends, he could see they were all looking a little droopy-eyed. Yami, Yugi, Ryou and Bakura bid everyone goodnight and walked off to their own houses, and Mokuba and Seto were getting ready to fly back up to the cave. Isis had decided to stay in the village for the night, to be close to her brother.

Without a word Joey let Seto pick him up, and as the dragon spread his wings and took flight, Mokuba following him closely, none of them noticed how Malik watched them leave with raised eyebrows.

* * *

There really was no place like home.

That was the only thought in Malik's head as he stood at the lakeside, watching the sky slowly light up as dawn crept closer.

He couldn't sleep: he had been travelling for so long, he had almost forgotten what home looked like, and the happiness at being back hadn't quite vanished yet. Smiling at that thought, Malik couldn't help but feel content. He and Isis weren't born here, but in the years since they had left their desert tribe and started serving Seto, the place had grown on him, so much so that he didn't even want to return to his previous life. He liked the people here, and even though he was almost never here, he always felt at home. Although…

Malik's smile gave way to a small frown.

Some things had _changed_ since his last visit. A picture flashed in his mind, of Seto and that new human… _Joey._ The truth of the matter was that Seto had changed. Malik couldn't quite say what it was, but the dragon seemed… peaceful. He was still as cold and rude as always, but something seemed to have calmed his restless soul. And Malik highly suspected it had something to do with Joey. His first impression of the blond was a good natured, likable guy. Malik didn't see anything wrong with him.

But the way Seto treated him… it was the small things: like the way he looked at him, or the gentle way he had lifted him, or the way his comments to the blond were more teasing than scornful… it all hinted at something, he just didn't know what yet. But one thing he knew: it was a change for the better, at least.

"Beautiful morning, isn't it?" Malik jumped as the dark voice sounded from beside him. He quickly turned around and stared at the tall man whom had snuck up beside him.

Wild and unkempt, he was a frightening sight, but Malik had met worse on his travels. He stood fast and stared at the stranger.

"Who the fuck are you?" He asked, not bothering with any form of pleasantries, since this guy could very well be an enemy or a danger to the village..

"You surely don't beat around the bush," the man said with a short laugh and turned to leer at him, violet eyes glowing in the faint light. "But I could ask you the same question. I come back from a night in the forest and find a complete stranger lurking at the outskirts of the village. That's pretty mysterious."

"You… live here?" Malik asked, not even trying to conceal his disbelief.

"Since a few weeks back," the man answered. "You?"

"I just got back from a journey… Isis is my sister."

"Ah, the dark haired healer, right? Nice girl, if a bit too perceptive." And violet eye met violet. "Does that run in the family? Being perceptive, I mean?"

"I've never really thought about it," Malik said, refusing to look away, even if those darker, crazier versions of his own eyes made him shiver. "Look: what do you want?"

"Well, if we both live here, it couldn't hurt getting to know each other a bit."

"You're not human, are you?"

"No, but somehow, I think you knew that already. I'm a werewolf."

"I'm not surprised," Malik snorted. "Going on midnight romps, looking worse that the worst of thugs, being in-your-face… you're a prime example of your kind."

"And you just gave me a compliment." The man just kept leering, and now he took a step closer. "You're not afraid of me at all, are you? I like that. Not to mention your personality… it just makes you all the more interesting."

Malik took two steps back, glaring at him.

"I'm not gonna be your mate, werewolf, so back off."

In a flash, the werewolf had grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. So close that their noses were almost touching. And the leer was still intact.

"How can you be so certain?" He purred darkly, making Malik shiver again. "You don't even know me. You don't know if we'll get along, if you'll fall for me, heck, you don't even know my name." A rough hand with sharp nails reached out and traced Malik's cheek, but he didn't even notice it, too caught up in the animalistic eyes. "You don't know if I'll be the best lay you'll ever have."

"Get off of me!" Malik hissed and tried to pull free, but the werewolf held fast for a moment longer. He suddenly leaned in and pressed his nose to Malik's throat, sniffing slowly.

"You are an intriguing human." Why was that voice so dark, so… sexy…? "Suddenly you were just standing here, looking delicious, like a siren or something, and I couldn't help myself… I haven't ever had a mate before… never wanted one." A warm breath ghosted over his ear. "But I want you."

Malik froze.

"Your smell is heavenly."

And then he had let go, turned around, and sprinted off. By the time Malik un-froze, he was long gone.

_What the fuck?! _

**Aaand we're back to shorter chapters again. –Sigh- This is really just another filler chapter, but now things'll start happening again. Oh well, at least Malik finally made his entrance! And he even met Marik! **

**But somehow, this chapter seems forced and rushed to me! And the M/M meeting didn't go as I had imagined it. So sorry if this chapter sucks a bit! T.T **

**You know another thing which sucks? NOT HAVING TIME TO ANSWER ALL MY REVIEWS! This week has been the last before summer vacation (WOHO! XD) and the teachers wanna suck the last bit of energy out of us students! Between oral presentations, term-papers, exams and gathering grades, I really haven't had the time to answer you! BUT NOW SUMMER IS UPON MY DOORSTEP! I WILL answer all reviews in the next chapters! I PROMISE! **

**Thanks to…**

**Deme, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, pennypigeon, journey maker, casaragi, ma****ndapandabug, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Kiki, Tori-chan, ONIX-21, Assassin of the Shadows, kekame, Tamsin M, AzhureSapphire, N.M. Smith – Mr. Cackles, rubisora18117, Tie4, Silver Hunteress, Valine, Riceball the Second, SongSwifteye, Melipapaya, kaeryth, Sora Kohaku, Reincarnated Rat, Snape Goes Commando, KeiEn, Astarael's Get, feelxinfinite, Hi Kitsune, Coconut Kazuo, CountessKitsune, Makoto-Elena, Silver Star Celine, Kitty Kat2009, MyOwnShukuun, Purple Sox and pvend**

…**for your awesome reviews! As per usual, you are the things which keep me going! I love you all! **

**Once again; sorry for the short chapter. I'll try to do better next time. **

**Until then: PLEASE REVIEW! (Even if it DOES suck!)**

**R&R!!**


	17. Preparations

Chapter sixteen: Preparations

Serenity was tired, inside and out.

Every waking moment, she had to indulge in several things: there was the reconstruction of the castle wall, which had been destroyed by the dragon who took her brother. There was the constant search for said brother, and the doubt which was slowly starting to creep into the minds of everyone involved; Serenity had taken it upon herself to make sure people didn't lose hope in the prince's return. Then there were a thousand other important things to do and take care of. After all: the duty to rule a kingdom didn't disappear just because the prince was gone. Now, all Joey's former duties had been left to her.

Still, all those things were only the tip of the iceberg. Serenity was a strong young woman, no one could say differently, and more than capable in all aspects. She had even heard a few maids whisper in a corridor about how the princess almost did a better job than her brother in ruling the kingdom alongside her grandfather and mother. (These whispers had soon been silenced, however, by Serenity herself.)

No, what made her so incredibly tired was the mental aspect of it all.

In other words: the worry.

She hadn't slept well in over a month, and seemed to have lost all will to eat. It was only her mother's doting, as well as the knowledge that she needed the energy, which practically made her force the food down her own throat. Serenity was constantly thinking about Joey. Even though she did her best to make others keep faith, the same doubts they were experiencing, were also affecting her. Was he still alive? Would they ever find him? How long would this go on? How long could _she_ go on…?

And there were other things still: her mother looked paler and paler for each day which went by. Adhara was even stronger than her daughter, but this was slowly wearing her out.

Serenity was well aware that her mother hadn't been truly happy in many, many years. Adhara's beauty was famous, but Serenity knew the version of the now was nothing compared to what her mother had looked like when she was younger. Over the years, she had… in lack of better words… _paled_. And the change had nothing to do with age.

Her husband's death had hit her very hard, and now her son disappeared too? Serenity couldn't help but worry about her.

And then there were Tristan and Duke. They hadn't truly spoken to each other in weeks, and Serenity just wanted to beat the two of them up for their foolish stubbornness! When were they going to realize that they were meant for one another?! Things had started to look up between them a few days after Joey's disappearance, but then something must have happened, because they never stayed in the same room for long anymore. And when they talked, the tension was so thick you could cut it.

And Serenity could see it was hurting them!

And Rabastan had come back home without Joey, but with the news that a whole village had been destroyed, and all its inhabitants brutally slaughtered. Were the hardships never going to end? Why was all this happening now, when they needed to look for Joey? It wasn't fair!

"Your highness?"

Serenity snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the constructor whom had spoken. She silently cursed herself. She was supposed to listen to his report in how the wall was coming along, instead she had spaced out! How irresponsible! She had to snap out of it!

"I'm sorry," she said and shook her head. "I was thinking of other things for a moment. My deepest apologies!"

The man studied her for a moment, then a tender smile spread over his face.

"It is perfectly understandable, your highness. Don't think about it." He rolled up the parchment he had been reading out loud. "Perhaps you should try to get some rest, or at least take a break. You've been working awfully hard the last few weeks, if you don't mind me saying so."

"I doubt I could sleep anyway," Serenity answered honestly, with a small smile. "But thanks anyway."

The man didn't say anything else, just smiled again, and walked away. Serenity could clearly see the concern in his eyes, despite the smile.

As he walked away, she let her eyes move across the room, where her whole family was gathered for once. Her mother, grandfather and colonel Dartz were standing around a table, completely engorged in a map of some kind; no doubt discussing in what directions the murderers could have fled. Tristan was helping the constructors lift some stones to mend the destroyed wall, and Serenity could see his help was greatly appreciated. Duke was sitting at a small desk in the corner, completely engorged in a piece of parchment; writing one thing or another.

They all looked just as tired as she felt, Serenity noticed.

She sighed tiredly, brushed her fringe out of her eyes and started walking towards the door; intent to see if there was anything she could do in the kitchen. But just as she was walking out the door, another person apparently wanted to walk _in_, because suddenly, the young princess bumped into a hard chest.

"Oh, I beg you pardon," a familiar, smooth voice said, and Serenity froze for a second. Looking up, her eyes met with a deep brown one. Soft silver hair brushed against her cheek. "Oh, princess Serenity! Just the person I wanted to see!"

The man was tall and elegant, dressed in a deep red robe which didn't really match his hair all that well. His long hair fell down and hid half his face from view, but Serenity knew, much like everyone else in the court, that his left eye had been replaced by a golden replica. He had lost the real eye in the accident which also took his wife's life.

"Lord Pegasus," Serenity said, took a step back and curtsied elegantly. On the inside however, she cringed. The one-eyed lord was the person she _least _wanted to see right now. "How are you doing?"

"Perfectly fine, your highness," Pegasus said in his soft voice, and bowed deeply in reply. "If you excuse me for saying so, my princess, but you look tired. It is expected, considering the circumstances, but still…"

"You're not the first person to notice, my lord, but thank you for your concern," Serenity said with a polite smile. "Now, if you excuse me-"

"Actually, your majesty, I had something I wanted to discuss with you. If you're not all too occupied, would you mind taking a walk with me."

"Well," Serenity said, not at all in the mood to deal with a noble, "I _had_ a few errands I would like to get over with before lunch."

"It will only take a little while," Pegasus promised with a smile. "Please, your highness. It concerns your brother."

At that, Serenity's interest was piqued immediately. Anything that had to do with Joey was important and worthy of her time, even if she had to play the role of polite princess.

"Very well," she said with a more sincere smile, and put one of her hands on Pegasus arm. "Lead the way, my lord."

"My honour, beautiful princess."

The silver-haired man took her to the castle garden, where the ground was covered in green, green grass, and where large noble trees reached for the skies. Flowers and plants in all colours and shapes were growing on either side of the perfect little gravel path which ran through the garden. Serenity remembered playing Hide and Seek here with her brother and friends. Those memories filled her with warmth now, but also with longing and sorrow.

"Your brother is constantly on your mind these days, isn't he?" Pegasus asked from beside her. Serenity jumped slightly at the question and turned to look at him. When he saw her surprised expression, he laughed softly. "It's easy to see, my princess. Your beautiful face is always filled with worry these days, and you often stare off into the distance. The same thing can be said for you mother and friends. Not that I can blame you. Everyone is worried for Prince Joseph. Me included."

"Was there something you wanted to discuss, my lord?" Serenity asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"Ah yes, as I was saying, I would like to discuss your brother with you." Pegasus stopped for a moment and turned so that they were standing face to face. He smiled in the cool way of his. "Don't get me wrong, my princess. I have always liked and respected your brother just as much as everyone else, and of course I wish for him to be found, but my practical personality is sometimes very bothersome, and in this situation, it refuses to stay quiet."

"I don't see how your personality has anything to do with my brother's disappearance," Serenity said and met his gaze without blinking. "My lord."

"You wouldn't," Pegasus said, still smiling. "But the truth of the matter, your majesty, is that his highness prince Joseph has been gone for over a month now. We all saw it happen: he was kidnapped by a huge, wild dragon with clearly violent tendencies, if the hole in the castle-wall is anything to go by. He was taken by a creature big enough to destroy the whole castle: a creature so strong no arrows or swords could harm it."

"I would very much like you to make your point, my lord," Serenity said, almost coldly. She knew where Pegasus was going with this, but she needed him to make his point before she could defend herself.

"I'm getting to it, my princess," Pegasus promised. "Please: just take all these things into consideration for a moment. Think of all the things I just said. Think of the dragon: you saw it yourself- a magnificent creature, wasn't it? Think about all this, and then tell me…" here, the lord leaned in closer to the princess and looked her straight in the eye. For the first time, his smile disappeared. "How can the prince have survived?"

Everything was silent for a moment. The two simply stared at each other, refusing to blink, refusing to yield. After a few moments, Pegasus took a step back, but he didn't break eye-contact.

"My point is, your highness, that I don't think the search for the prince is going anywhere. The chance of his survival is equal to zero. Why look for a dead body?"

"So what you really want us to do is blow off the search completely," Serenity clarified. "You want us to give up."

"I understand it must be a painful thought," Pegasus said and put a hand on her shoulder, "but we can't go on ignoring facts. And with the recent attack on that village, we will need all the people we can get to find the murderers. There are still troops out looking for Joseph. Call them back. Don't keep torturing yourself with these hopeless dreams that he will come back home. It's better that way."

"No, it's not," Serenity said, stood up straighter and brushed his hand off her shoulder. For the first time, she called on all the royalty in her blood, and fixed Pegasus with a cold glare. Every pore on her body oozed strength and determination. "I'm sorry, my lord, but I must disagree with you completely. You see, contrary to _you_, I _know_ my brother. He is strong and stubborn, and he won't die so easily. I am completely certain that he is alive, and I will keep believing that, even if the rest of the world tells me differently. And until we find him, _dead or alive_, I will not change my mind. We _will _find him, and nothing you say or do can make me, my mother or my grandfather break off the search. Joey has never given up on any of us; I intend to be the same way."

She took a step back from him, and curtsied again, almost mockingly.

"Now, if you excuse me, my lord, I have other pressing matters to attend to. I would appreciate it if you didn't bring this up ever again. Good day."

And then, not giving Pegasus any chance to answer, she hiked her dress up a little and stalked off back to the castle.

In the doorway, Tristan stood waiting for her.

"What did that idiot do?" He asked after one look at her face. "You grandfather saw you leaving with Pegasus, and he asked me to follow and keep an eye on you. What did he say? I swear I'll-"

The knight was cut off when the princess stepped up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest. Serenity gave a tired sigh, and Tristan looked down at her with eyes huge as UFO's.

"Serenity-"

"Just... hold me for a moment," she whispered. "I miss him so much, Tris."

The shock in Tristan's eyes changed to understanding, and slowly, the knight raised his arms and placed them around the princess's shoulders in a warm, brotherly hug.

"I know, little sister," he said and placed his cheek on top of her soft hair. "I miss him too."

From the corner of the corridor, emerald eyes watched the scene. Sorrow, pain, hopelessness, jealousy and anger fought for control in them for a moment, and then their owner turned and walked away. He made his way to his own room, not wanting anyone to see him: he knew that he was ugly when he cried.

* * *

Joey was sitting outside Solomon's house, with Yugi on his left and Ryou to his right, and on the table in front of them laid the biggest map he had ever seen.

"Okay," Malik said and bent forward over the map to get a better view of it. "To get to Tangea, we will have to leave the forest and go north. As you can see, the road will be easy- at least until we get to the great middle sea. But after that, it's a cakewalk. All we have to do is avoid every city and village we pass on the way: we don't want anyone to discover Seto and Mokuba after all. But that won't be much of a problem if we follow the route I've planned. All in all we will have to travel a few hundred miles."

Seto also leaned in to take a closer look at the map, his sharp blue eyes inspecting the route, which was nothing but a squiggly yellow line Malik had drawn. The route let them around all the cities, town and villages they would have to pass.

"It's not that far if we fly," he stated. "If Yami takes Yugi, there will be no problem. I am strong enough to carry five people."

"There is no way in hell that I'll let myself be carried around by you! I can fucking walk, and I'll carry Ryou too!" Bakura snarled from beside Ryou, and the silver-haired boy leaned down to flicker the wolf's nose sternly. Seto shot Bakura a cold glare.

"I'm going to keep you to that, you oversized fleabag," he muttered and turned back to the map. "Let's see how well you do once we have to cross the ocean."

"I still can't believe we're going to Tangea!" Mokuba said happily and looked up at his brother with big, sparkling eyes. "I don't remember it at all! It'll be awesome to see it again!"

Seto smiled at him, but the smile didn't really reach his eyes. Joey noticed, but decided to stay quiet for now. Seto didn't seem happy at all about the discovery of his old home, and it made Joey wonder what was going through the dragon's mind. At the same time, he didn't know how to approach it, since he didn't want to acknowledge the fact that he was the only one who had noticed Seto's mood.

"Anyway," Seto said and looked at everyone gathered around the table: Solomon, Mai, Isis, Malik, Joey, Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura, Mokuba, and even Marik, who was leaning against the house-wall, watching them all carefully. "If we can keep an even tempo, I think we will make it there in four days, more or less. The ocean will be a minor problem, since we will have to fly over it without stopping for rest, but I think we will make it. All in all, the trip should take about one and a half, maybe two weeks. Let's just hope the city is still there once we get there."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Joey asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If it really _is_ Tangea, then there is the chance that the city has disappeared. Or rather: changed place," Seto explained. "It's an old spell my grandfather put on the capitol when he was king. In order to protect it from an invasion, he cast a spell which would make Tangea change place every once in a while. I guess you could say he gave the city the ability to jump from one spot to another anytime it wanted to. It can be on one place today, and then be hundreds and hundreds of miles away tomorrow. But like I said, that's only if the city we're visiting really is Tangea."

"A city that moves," Yami said thoughtfully from Yugi's shoulder. "Fascinating. Now I'm even more eager to visit it."

"Malik will have to show the way, naturally," Seto turned and looked at the blond in question. "You think you can find your way back to that mountain despite the change of perspective?"

"Definitely, don't worry about it," Malik said, and then glanced at his sister, who was sitting beside him. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us, dear sister?"

"I'm afraid not, brother," Isis said with a smile. "I did promise you a great birthday party, didn't I? Mai and I will make the preparations: it should be done by the time you and the others come home. I'm going to make sure this is the best party you've ever been to! Then maybe you will stay home for a little while longer." And then she added an affectionate tug at his hair, and Joey felt a sting of longing: they reminded him of him and Serenity. "Besides, there's already so many who's going."

"You can take _his_ place," Malik muttered so softly that no one heard him, and shot Marik a quick glare. The werewolf had been watching him closely, and when their eyes met, he leered at the younger man. Malik shivered involuntarily and turned back around to inspect the map with Seto.

In the meantime, Joey, Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba had decided that there was nothing more they could do here, so now they all stood up and made their way over to Ryou's house, with the intention of packing the few things needed for the trip. But when the group passed Marik, Bakura stopped and inspected his "canine comrade".

"Werewolf," he growled, "have you brushed your hair?"

At these words, the rest of them stopped as well, and stared at Marik.

"Now that Bakura mentions it… you _have,_ haven't you?" Ryou said.

"And you've… you've taken a bath too?" Yugi asked.

"You noticed?" Marik asked with his usual wicked smile. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"No, no! It looks fine!" Ryou said quickly, always the polite one. "As a matter of fact… you look really good."

It was true too. Joey was just as surprised as the rest of them to find that under the dirt and ragged clothes… Marik was a pretty handsome man. If you ignored the insanity, that is…

Marik gave Ryou another toothy grin, and winked.

"Thank you, kid. You don't look too shabby yourself."

Bakura growled at him, then turned and started pushing Ryou softly with his muzzle in the direction of his house. Marik winked once more at the rest of them, then turned back around to watch Malik.

A little confused by his behaviour, Joey, Yami, Yugi and Mokuba followed the others to Ryou's house, now and then throwing a glance over their shoulders at the werewolf.

"What was that about?" Joey asked as soon as they were in Ryou's house. It was a very small house, with only a small kitchen, a bedroom/living-room, and a bathroom. Joey made himself comfortable in a chair beside Ryou's bed, leaving the packing to the host and Yugi. Seto had told them to pack lightly, so the most they could bring was one or two extra pairs of pants and a few sweaters: thus, Joey's help wasn't really needed.

"You mean Marik?" Yami said and jumped from Yugi's shoulder to Ryou's bed. "He _was_ acting… well, stranger than usual."

"But why?" Ryou added as he walked over to the wardrobe and started looking through it for things to bring on the trip. "He's even cleaned himself up!"

"Maybe we're just starting to have an effect on him," Yugi suggested. "Maybe he's started to think more like a human and less like a werewolf."

Bakura walked over to Ryou's bed, jumped up onto it and lied down. He gave a contemptuous snort.

"You should be worrying less about what he's thinking _as_, and more about what he's thinking _with_. 'Cause it sure as hell ain't the head between his shoulders."

"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked and cocked his head to the side in a cute, questioning manner.

"The werewolf isn't cleaning up because he's becoming more human," here, Bakura threw in a seductive leer. "On the contrary, he's more of an animal now than he's ever been, which I'm sure our little blond adventurer Malik will soon find out."

"What has Malik got to do with anything?" Yami asked and glanced at the wolf.

"Surely, your highness, you're not that naïve," Bakura murmured softly to make sure no one but Yami heard him. And then he said, louder, to make sure _everyone_ heard it: "Marik wants to do Malik."

The reaction to these words was instant. Joey's chair, which had been balancing on two legs, fell over backwards with him still in it, Ryou accidentally ripped one of the buttons from the shirt in his hands, Yugi lost his balance and fell over into the wardrobe, and Yami stared at Bakura with wide, red eyes. Only Mokuba didn't react. He simply cocked his head to the side again and stared in confusion at Bakura.

"Do him?" He repeated. "What does that mean?"

Bakura's grin grew three sizes.

"Well, drakling, when you _do_ someone, you-"

"Bakura, you pervert of a wolf, _shut up_!" Ryou screeched and walked over to put an arm around Mokuba's neck, as if that would protect him from Bakura's impure thoughts. Bakura laughed out loud.

"Aw, come on, Ryou! He'll have to learn sometime!"

Ryou glared at him in a way that Joey had never thought the gentle boy could glare.

"Be quiet, or I'll tell Seto," he warned darkly.

"Oooo, I'm shaking in my boots," Bakura shot back with a smirk, but he didn't say anything more. Mokuba still looked confused.

"What?" He asked and looked at Ryou. "What does it mean, Ryou?"

"Your brother will tell you when you get older," Ryou promised and reached up to pat him on his head. "Now drop it."

And Mokuba, being the cute little angel he was, let it go, with a sigh and a muttered 'I'm over four hundred years old.' Joey couldn't help but laugh, knowing the drakling would pester Seto about this as soon as they were back in the cave that night.

He couldn't help but think this would be an unforgettable trip.

Sitting there in Ryou's house, laughing with his friends, Joey had no idea how right he was. In more ways than one.

* * *

Mai swept the blanket tighter around herself as she stepped out of her house and walked in the direction of the lake. Shivering a little as the damp grass touched her bare legs, she stroked her bangs out of her eyes and looked up at the starlit sky. It must be really late- she should have been sleeping right now- but Seto had asked her to meet him by the lake at this time, and even if they weren't that close, she respected him and viewed him as a friend. And Mai made sure to be there for her friends when they asked her for something.

He was hard to miss, standing there at the edge of the lake, with the moonbeams hitting his white scales and making him glow. Mai had to admit: it was a pretty beautiful sight, but considering the dragon's personality, she wasn't all that impressed. He'd have to be a freaking Greek _god_ to make up for that attitude!

"Well, Seto, I'm here now, what do you want?" she announced as she came up beside him. "If you're looking for a romantic midnight-tryst, I'll have to disappoint you. I'm not into guys with claws."

Luminescent blue eyes glared at her in the summer-darkness.

"I don't even know why I bother with you. You're nothing but a shameless flirt who can't be serious."

"It's my nature," Mai said and threw a lock of hair over her shoulder. "Just like it's yours to PMS constantly."

And there was the famous eye-roll. Mai was almost happy to see it. Seto had changed so much since Joey came along that he almost seemed like a completely different dragon sometimes. It wasn't bad, but Mai sometimes wondered where the cold, angry guy from before had gone. It was a little calming to see that he was still in there, somewhere.

Strangely enough, he only came out when Joey wasn't present. The blond sure as hell had a way of calming the dragon down.

"You're so immature."

"And you're _too_ mature," Mai said. A cold wind suddenly ghosted over her, and she shivered. "Was there something you wanted? I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion, and would like this discussion over, so I can go back to my warm, soft bed."

Seto was silent for a moment longer, as if thinking closely about what to say. Mai shifted her weight from one foot to the other, quickly growing impatient. It was a mild summer-night, but the winds were cold and the grass damp, and under the blanket she wore nothing but her night-gown. She hadn't been lying when she said she wasn't dressed for the occasion, and now she had a strong suspicion that Seto was hesitating just to annoy her.

But just as she opened her mouth to tell him to hurry up, Seto seemed to make up his mind on what to say.

"How are your potion-making skills?"

Mai raised an eyebrow at him, completely caught of guard. Whatever she had been expecting him to say, it wasn't that. What was he up to?

"They're fine," she said suspiciously. "But somehow, I don't think you're asking that out of concern. What's up?"

"I want you to make something for me while we're gone." And Seto lifted his hand and held out a piece of paper to Mai. "A potion with these ingredients."

Still a little suspicious, Mai took the paper from his claws and scanned it carefully. A bunch of different herbs, liquids and other, _stranger_ things were written upon it, and as Mai read, her mind made connections to a very special potion. One she had only made a few times in her long, long life. Her eyes were wide as she raised her gaze to look at Seto again.

"Seto… this… this is-"

"I know what it is, Mai," he cut her off coolly, not moving a muscle, but eyes intense. "Can you do it?"

"But why would you want me to make-" Mai cut herself off as realization dawned, and her eyes widened even more. "It's… it's for him, isn't it? It's for Joey."

Seto didn't say anything, but his silence spoke volumes.

"Are you out of your mind?!" She hissed, all playfulness gone, replaced by outrage. "Do you have any idea what this can do to him? It can destroy him, Seto! How can you do that?"

"Calm down."

"I will _not_! Playing with his heart like that will only lead to confusion and pain!"

"I just want him to stay."

"By manipulating him like that?"

"I will NOT manipulate him!" Seto hissed angrily. "Manipulating means that you lie and deceive to get what you want, and that is the _least_ of my intentions! I just want to tell him how I feel!"

"This can change everything, and you know it!"

"Wrong!" Mai took a step back at the passion in his voice and the blaze in his eyes. "Everything's already changed! _Joey_ changed it, and I know that none of us want things to go back to the way they were before him. I'm just trying to keep everything the way it is!"

"Don't be foolish, Seto!"

"He's going to leave, Mai! Joey has another place he needs to be! He thinks he doesn't belong here! He'll leave us all behind and never look back, because that's what he thinks he _has to_ do! You know this to be true, just as I do! _I just want to make him stay!_ And don't even try to deny that you do too! Joey is one of us now! We all know he's happy here, but he's confused and doesn't know what to do! I just want to show him what he can have! Because I _want _him here! And I know the rest of you do too! But then we need to fight for him!"

Silence followed his words. Violet met blue as the witch and the dragon stared at each other; one of them unyielding, the other contemplating.

"If I… if _we_ do this," Mai said softly without breaking the stare, "things will never be the same. You know that, right?"

"If he stays, it will be worth the change," Seto said with confidence.

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then no one can say I didn't try."

Another short silence.

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

Sharp sapphires cut through her.

"Will you do it or not?"

Mai said no more. She looked down at her feet, still not knowing what she wanted. The problem was so complicated: there were so many layers on this, no one could really say if it was right or wrong. Seto wanted Joey to stay (and by the gods, so did she); that's why he wanted to do this. But on the other hand, they would be playing dangerous games with the blonde's feelings.

Still… she agreed with Seto. Joey belonged with them. This was his home now, just as it had become hers, so long ago.

"Okay…" She said at last, her face grim, since she knew so very well about the risks in this game.

"I'll… do it…"

**THIS. WAS. A. BITCH!! DX**

**I have never had so much trouble writing a chapter! I developed a writer's block halfway into this chapter, and practically had to FORCE myself to write it! On some occasions, I've actually been staring at the screen FOR HOURS, and haven't moved a muscle! Thank GOD it's over!! Truth to be told, I didn't really know how to write this part, that's probably why it sounds random in some places. **

**But now it's OVERRRRR!! The next chapter WILL be better, and it WILL be longer! This I promise you! (And yes, I'm aware I promised that in the last chapter too, but this time I REALLY MEAN IT!) **

**Also, I'm so so sorry for the LONG time you've had to wait! But between work, friends, summer parties and writer's blocks, I'm just thankful that I've been able to answer your reviews! Not to mention that I didn't really know how this chapter should go! T.T It's short and bad and I hate it, but IT'S OVER NOW! Only exciting things in front of us! XD**

**Why yes, I'm an optimist! **

**Thank you so much to those who reviewed the last crap-chapter: **

**Deme, ****Flea, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, pennypigeon, journey maker, casaragi, mandapandabug, ArrowSphere, Silver Hunteress, Coral Q's bff, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Tori-chan, ONIX-21, Assassin of the Shadows, Tamsin M, N.M. Smith – Mr. Cackles, rubisora18117, Tie4, Silver Hunteress, Melipapaya, Purple Sox, Snape Goes Commando, Astarael's Get, Hi Kitsune, Silver Star Celine, RinkyPink, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, madvoldie, Eshhnay, dhydo, tommy2.0 and pvend**

**I really, REALLY didn't deserve so much wonderful support! You people are my ANGELS! **

**Like I said; only good things ahead now! I know it might be much to ask, but please leave a review! I need them!**

**Until next time!**

**R&R!!**


	18. Bumps in the road

Chapter seventeen: Bumps in the road

Joey's eyes flew open before dawn the next morning. For a moment, he just lay in bed, staring at the dark stone-ceiling above. Then he gave a heavy sigh and rolled over onto his side, staring at the door instead.

Another nightmare. Joey had lost track on how many he'd had in the last few weeks. He was starting to believe that they would never disappear; that he'd be stuck with those dark, cold spaces, malicious whispers and cold hands for the rest of his life. It had been weeks! Why didn't they go away? It wasn't fair; he hadn't done anything to deserve being haunted like this! And he was so tired… so tried of it all.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep (knowing he didn't want to) Joey threw the comforter off and slipped out of bed. The sky outside his window was pink, just turning blue; showing him the day wasn't far away. He sat down on the windowsill, like he'd done so many times before in the last month, and just studied the land below him.

Thoughts of the nightmare soon slipped from Joey's mind as he was once again amazed by the beauty before him. This certainly wasn't something he could see looking out the window in his room in Domino. There, there were only houses, streets and people everywhere, and the blue sky above. No green, lush forests, no birds playing peek-a-boo among the trees, no loose, fluffy white clouds which only made the sky look like something out of a child's drawing. No peace… No safety.

_Would it really be that bad if you stayed?_

Joey shook his head. He didn't want to think about that. He had decided that his inner debate wasn't taking him anywhere. He liked it here, yes, you might even say he _loved_ it… but that didn't change the fact that his whole family was waiting for him at home. That they were counting on him! And that they meant more to Joey that he could explain in words.

_Wouldn't it be nice to just leave all those duties behind? _

So what if he felt completely peaceful here with Seto and the gang? So what if he felt like he belonged here with them? So what if he felt safe? If it felt nice to let go of the leader-image? If he, for the first time, could just be, without the demands and expectations of a future king? He still needed to be there for his family! His mom, his sister, his grandfather! Tristan! Duke!

_If it wasn't for your family, would you even miss that place? _

True, he wasn't overly attached to Domino. He liked the castle- it was the place where he had grown up, after all- and he knew and liked the people in the city… but it wasn't like this cave. Somewhere along the way, this cave… this prison of his… had become _home_. And the people he had met… even Seto, his would-be captor, had taken a rather big place in Joey's heart. Not big enough to push his family aside… but it was as if Yugi, Ryou, Mokuba and the rest of them filled an empty space inside him he hadn't even realized was there.

_Which of your two families would hurt most to loose? _

"Now this is a surprise: I never thought _you_ would be up this early."

Joey jumped as the voice penetrated his thoughts, and almost fell out the window before he managed to grip onto the wall beside it. Spinning around, he glared at Seto, who was smirking at him from the doorway.

"Frickin' knock before bursting in!" He hissed angrily, his heart in his throat from the almost-fall. "I coulda' fallen and broken my neck!"

"If you had fallen on your head we wouldn't have to worry," Seto taunted and walked into the room. "Must be good with such a thick skull sometimes."

"Ha ha, lizard boy. You're a real stand up-comedian!" Joey turned his back to him, pouting.

"Relax; if you had fallen, I would have caught you," Seto said and walked over, lying down just beside the window, so that he too could look out.

"Humph!" Joey said and refused to look at him, even if the words made him feel a little happier. Gods, when had he turned into such a sap?!

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, both studying the forest and sky, as it turned more and more blue, and there, finally, was the sun! Just peeking up behind the tree-tops.

"I swear, I'll never get tired of this sight," Joey murmured softly, the peaceful mood loosening his tongue.

"I can honestly say I never have," Seto answered. "Although it's been a long time since I've watched it like this."

"I've never seen a sun-rise like this," Joey confessed. "Sure, I've watched the dawn with my parents and sister a couple of times, but it was never really like this. It wasn't this…" he hesitated, looking for the right word.

"Cliché?" Seto supplied with a quirked smile.

"If you wanna kill the mood completely, then yes, that's it," Joey said and turned around to give him a sarcastic smile. "But I was thinking more along the lines of 'perfect'."

Seto rolled his eyes to show what he thought about that, and Joey laughed softly.

"Speaking of killing things," Seto said with a scowl. "Would you be kind enough to keep Ryou out of the way while I toast his pet? I'd hate it if the boy got caught in the cross-fire; literally. Mokuba is so fond if him."

"Sooo, Mokuba asked you about the 'do' thing, did he?" Joey couldn't help but grin at Seto. The dragon just rolled his eyes.

"I knew allowing him to hang out with that crew would turn out to be bad. Damn his puppy-eyes! But now I'll get a restraining-order, to keep them away from my baby brother. He can play with Isis."

"You're gonna do that to all of them?"

"…Just Bakura and Marik. Mokuba likes the rest too much."

Joey laughed again, and with the grin still intact, he asked the ultimate question.

"So what did you tell him when he popped the question?"

"I said I would tell him once he found a nice, respectable female-dragon to settle down and start a family with."

"That's not gonna happen anytime soon."

"Precisely."

"I gotta hand it to you, Seto, you're so _clever_!" Joey chortled. "But you'll have to give him 'The talk' _one_ day."

"No I don't. We're an extinct race. It's impossible for him to reproduce. Why teach him things he won't need?"

Still laughing, Joey shook his head at the other's pig-headedness and turned back around to look out the window. Another comfortable silence settled over them, lulling Joey into a false sense of security.

That's when Seto chose to strike.

"Have you been thinking about my offer?" Joey stiffened. "The one about-"

"Yeah," Joey interrupted and turned to look at him. "About that…"

"It's been almost a week."

"I know-"

"Well? You know you're welcome to stay. I honestly don't know why you're hesitating…"

"I told you already!" Joey snapped with a glare. "Weren't you listening to me? I have a _family _waiting for me at home! A _mom_ and a _sister_ and _friends_! This isn't an easy choice for me! I like it here, I really, really do, but that place is my _home!_ Can't you understand that?"

"Of course I can! But-"

"Um," a voice interrupted from the doorway, and two pairs of eyes, one blue, one brown, turned to look at the woman. Isis scratched the back of her head, looking worried.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something, but it's time for you to leave. Mokuba's waiting."

"Of course," Seto said quickly and stood up. "It's time to go… Come along then."

Joey slid off of the windowsill and rubbed one of his arms, feeling awkward.

"Yeah sure… uh, just give me a moment to get dressed."

"We'll wait at the entrance. Hurry up," Seto said without looking at him, and then followed Isis out the door. After a moment, he stuck his head back into the room.

"We'll continue this discussion later," he said, and Joey refused to break their gaze.

"Yeah …" he said, and after a moment's staring, Seto disappeared again. Joey sighed heavily, suddenly feeling tired again. He hadn't wanted to argue with Seto, especially not about _that_. But why did he have to pressure him?! It wasn't fair of Seto to expect him to decide just like that. This was hard!

With another heavy sigh, Joey started getting dressed.

* * *

In the village everyone seemed to be up, despite the early hour. People were bustling around, wishing the nine travellers good luck and giving advice. Yugi and Ryou had a bag slung over their respective shoulders, looking awake and excited while Solomon held a speech about how they'd be careful and not let their guard down. Yami, sitting on Yugi's shoulder like usual, looked pretty excited too: he was no doubt the only one listening to Solomon. Bakura was lying beside Ryou, and every now and then, he'd yawn, to show to everyone just how bored he was.

Malik was running around and making last minute-checks, to make sure they had everything they needed: maps, blankets, special herbs Mai had given them if anyone got hurt or sick. Marik was never far from him; leaning against a house or a tree, watching the younger boy with hungry eyes. Mai was sitting beside the dead fireplace with an amused little smile on her face, watching everything around her.

It was to this scene that Seto, Joey, Mokuba and Isis arrived. And they were quickly drawn into the chaos as Malik, Yugi and Ryou started carrying their light baggage over to Seto, intending to strap everything on his back. Seto kept completely still as the performed this, all the while checking on Mokuba: making sure he had the blankets he was supposed to bring, and that he knew what was going to happen.

"If you get tired, then tell me and we will take a break. Don't strain yourself: worst case scenario is that you fall asleep while flying and fall. We will be flying for a long time, you know."

"I'm gonna be fine, Seto!" Mokuba chimed happily, even more hyper than usual on this special day.

Seto grunted, still looking a little worried, but his gaze flickered to Joey.

"What about you?" he asked gruffly. "You've got everything you'll need?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Joey said and slung his own bag over one shoulder.

Their eyes met, and Joey couldn't look away. Seto looked so serious… so worried-

"All done, Seto!" Yugi said as he, Ryou and Malik jumped down from the dragons back. "We're ready to leave now."

"Alright, then everyone can get ready: we're leaving!" Seto said and broke their gaze. Joey was strangely disappointed.

"Finally!" Bakura growled and stood up. In the blink of an eye he had transformed into his bigger, more human-like form. He pulled Ryou to him with one furry arm.

Yami jumped down from Yugi's shoulder onto the ground and changed into his bigger form too, allowing the boy to climb onto his back. People started flocking around them now, eager to give one last well wish before they took off. A few small, giggling girls not older than ten gathered around Joey and wished him a good trip. Joey smiled, petted them on the head and said thank you, then they all scurried off, blushing and giggling. Mai soon took their place.

"Have a safe trip, honey," She said. "Think of it as a vacation."

"I hardly think it'll be a vacation," Joey muttered. "Seto will probably pester me about if I'm gonna stay here or go back home."

"Can you blame him?" Mai asked. "Sweetie, he likes you, and believe me, there's not many humans that Seto's ever liked. Besides, we all want you to stay."

Joey smiled at her, a warm feeling spreading in his stomach at her words. Mai winked and smiled back, taking his hand.

"Well, off you go, tiger. Have fun!" And then she gave him a big, wet kiss right on the mouth, before taking a step back with a grin.

Joey blushed bright red and gave her a half smile-half glare, before turning around and walking over to Seto, letting him pick him up. He completely missed the look which was exchanged between the dragon and the witch.

"I certainly hope you can keep up with us, wolf," Yami said to Bakura, who grinned challengingly in return. "Wings are better than legs, after all."

"Not in a contest between you and me, bird-brain," Bakura answered as Ryou slung his arms around his neck from behind and wrapped his legs around his waist in a strange kind of piggy-back ride.

"You can go with me," Marik said to Malik, who was already sitting on Seto's back. Isis' blond brother gave him a cold glare and turned to look at his sister.

"Don't do anything stupid," she said with a warm smile. "And come back soon."

"See you in a few weeks, dear sister," he answered with a smile.

"Everybody ready?" Seto asked and looked at everyone. Yami and Bakura, with Yugi and Ryou on their backs. Marik and Mokuba (his younger brother in particularly) and then at Joey, in his hand. When the blonde smiled and nodded, he spread his wings.

"Well then, off we go." And with a mighty flap he was off, closely followed by Yami and Mokuba. On the ground, Bakura took off in the same direction, Ryou securely holding on to him. Marik took a deep breath, gathered his strength and pushed off, following the pale wolf and boy on a sprint.

And the journey had begun.

* * *

The first two days of the trip passed smoothly. They went north and Seto, Mokuba and Yami flew pretty slowly, giving the ones travelling on the ground a chance to keep up. They made short breaks every once in a while, and one long for lunch, when they landed close to a town and rested while Malik, Yugi, Ryou and Joey went to buy some food. They also stopped once the sun had gone down and it was almost dark: lit a fire and ate dinner, before they slept until morning.

All in all, the trip was a peaceful yet fun one. Joey, who soon got to sit beside Malik on Seto's back, found the blond to be a pretty decent guy; they had fun sitting around and talking to one another while Seto flew.

And then the group reached the ocean.

Standing on top of a cliff, looking out over the seemingly endless water of the great middle sea, Joey wondered how the hell they would ever make it. What if something happened? What if one of Seto's wings started to cramp halfway over? If it could happen to a leg after swimming for a long time, surely it could happen to a wing after flying?

Shaking his head, he vanquished those thoughts. Of course they would make it! Seto was strong, and if he had no problem after two ways in the air, then he'd make it over!

"We should sleep here tonight," Yami said from behind him as Yugi slid off his back. "Trying to fly all that way without resting first is foolish. We'll head off in the morning."

"It's not that far, but we will need the energy," Seto said in agreement to his words. "It shouldn't take more that a day to fly over. But we won't be able to stop for lunch or rest, so you should all stuff yourselves tonight and tomorrow at breakfast."

They got to work with the camp. Fortunately, the summer-weather was dry, so they hadn't been in need of tents yet. But a fire they needed (Seto was more than happy to supply one) and Bakura and Yami disappeared to hunt down some dinner.

A few hours later everyone's bellies were filled, and they settled down around the fire with a blanket each and talked for a while. Slowly, the mood became more and more peaceful as everybody's eyelids became heavy. Yugi, Ryou, Mokuba, and, surprisingly, _Bakura_ were the first ones to fall asleep; Bakura curled protectively around the young albino boy. Marik chose this moment to sneak away into the forest. He'd done that the two other nights too, and Joey was more than a little curious as to what he was doing. Malik on the other hand, put a few more logs on the fire before curling up with his blanket and falling asleep.

Seto sighed and gently lifted Mokuba away from the fireplace, to make sure no wayward sparks fell on him during the night. Instead, he lay down beside Joey, a few metres from the fire, and curled himself around his little brother like he always did; all the while mumbling gentle things to make sure Mokuba didn't wake up.

Joey watched the scene with a gentle smile, astonished by Seto's softer side. He found it strangely endearing, almost adorable, and a pleasurable warmth spread in his chest at the sight. And then he realized the he was staring, and quickly looked away, blushing, not wanting the dragon to notice. Instead he fixed his gaze and thoughts on something else, but not less interesting:

Yami grabbed a blanket with one of his claws and placed it gently over Yugi. As he did, Joey saw something in the hawk's eyes that made him falter for a second.

Yami was looking at Yugi… it was hard to explain. It was almost the same look Joey had seen his dad give his mom thousands of times, but not quite…. The love was there, radiating out of his red eyes with such power even a blind man couldn't miss it. But there was sorrow there too. Deep sorrow and a longing desperate enough to make anyone cry.

The revelation hit Joey like a lightning bolt, so ridiculously obvious he was ashamed he hadn't figured it our earlier.

Yami loved Yugi.

Sure, Joey had already known that. But it wasn't the love he had thought it was. It wasn't the big brother or fatherly love. It wasn't the fondness a teacher held for his favourite pupil. It wasn't even the kind of relationship a master and his pet had. (Even though it was obvious that Yami was anything _but _a normal animal.) No, this was something else. Yami didn't just love Yugi.

Yami was _in love_ with Yugi!

How could he _not_ have noticed it earlier? The glances, the way his voice softened as soon as Yugi was in the room, the protectiveness…. They were always together. Yami would do anything for Yugi. Of _course_ that was the case!

Yami bent down and nuzzled his soft, feathery forehead to Yugi's cheek, cooing softly as he did. Joey suddenly felt as if he was intruding on something very intimate, but he couldn't stop looking. Now, after his little "revelation", he could literally _see_ the glow of eternal love radiating of the pair; the love of soul mates. He hadn't seen it since his father died… but it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Yami looked up, finally noticing that his little moment wasn't quite as private as he had thought it was, and almost embarrassedly took a step away from Yugi's curled up, sleeping form.

"So you've figured it out?" His voice was low and soft, and he wasn't looking at Joey as he said it, but Joey blushed and looked away anyway. Seto looked up from his sleeping brother, his eyes dark and passive.

"I'm sorry," Joey said quickly, and fidgeted with his fingers. "I didn't mean to pry. It's just…"

"That is okay, Joey," Yami assured him. "It's not really a secret… I just choose not to tell everyone. But since you figured it out yourself…"

He took another step away from Yugi, placing himself on the other side of the fire from Joey, so that they were sitting opposite one another. At last their gazes met, and Yami's eyes told Joey it was okay to ask questions.

"For how long?" Was the first thing Joey could think of to say.

"Since always." Yami said softly. "I guess the most logical answer would be 'since the first time I saw him', but it goes back far longer than that. Yugi is my soul mate. I've been waiting for him since the dawn of time."

"Oh… Does Bakura-"

"Just as besotted as me," Yami said with a smile, and shot a glance at Ryou and Bakura, who were still curled up together under a blanket, so close it looked like they wanted to merge with one another. "But you won't be able to pry _that_ information out of him anytime soon. Stupid, proud fleabag."

Joey laughed softly at the mild insult, and shot a glance at the pair, too. He could see the same love radiating off of them as well, even if Bakura was scowling even in his sleep.

"Yugi and Ryou…" he asked next, and directed his attention to the enchanted black hawk again. "Do they know that you… that you're soul mates?"

Yami stayed silent for a long while, looking like he was thinking really hard about his answer. When he _did_ answer, his voice was low and serious.

"Yugi and Ryou…" he started, "are still very young. Subconsciously, their souls have already connected with ours, but I don't think they are ready or able to comprehend the fact that they belong with animals just yet."

Yeah, about that…

"How come you feel like… _that_ for them? Okay, so you're soul mates, but you and Bakura are animals. Is a joining like that really… possible?"

Once again, Yami fell silent for a long while. But this time it looked like he was trying to decide if he should tell Joey something. Something important.

"Joey," he said at last. "If I tell you something no one else knows… can I trust you to keep quiet. Can you promise to not ever tell it to Yugi and Ryou, or Mokuba?"

Feeling like he was just about to find out the answer to the greatest question in the universe, (and maybe he was!) Joey leaned in closer and nodded. Yami looked deep into his eyes for a moment, and seemed to like what he saw, because he smiled faintly and began telling his tale:

"Do you remember our first day here, when me and Bakura said we can't remember where we come from?" Joey nodded. "We lied. We _do_ know where we came from; we just choose not to tell anyone. But I remember exactly what I once was, where I came from, and how I came to be… _this_." Here, he spread his wings and glared at them, to show that he meant by 'this'. "My true name is not Yami, even if I and everyone else have come to view it as such. It's Atemu, and over four hundred years ago, I was the king of Mages."

Joey stared at him, completely stunned, and Yami paused for a moment to let the revelation sink in. After a moment, he continued:

"It had only been a few years since my father's death and my crowning. The war was raging at its worst: people died on all sides. Everyday, I saw mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, siblings and children break down as they heard of the death of a loved one. Happiness was a memory, peace a dream. I had grown up in this. It was how things had always been. And I was tired of it all!" The hawk swallowed, the dark memories making his red eyes look almost black. Seto, whom had been quiet thus far, looked into the flames, no doubt remembering those times as well.

"There were… _others_ who felt the way I did. Seto's father, for example. Mordechai had been king for a longer time than me, and was more experienced. He was wise, strong, and honourable. I liked him: Seto resembles him very much, even if he doesn't want to hear that." He shot a look at the dragon, who only gave him a weak glare in return. "But I digress. Mordechai had been king for a long time, and just like me, he was tired of it all. Especially with his sons in the picture: he didn't want them to grow up the way he had. So together, we came up with a plan: the meeting at the copper tables… which ultimately led to our destruction."

"Now afterwards, I realize how naïve and foolish I was. Lakishma, the witch-mistress, was insane, and so were most of her servants. The woman didn't want peace, she wanted blood and death. But I was young, and Mordechai was tired of war. So very tired… we convinced each other -and ourselves- that she would listen. That we could cure her insanity with our words alone. But of course… we couldn't. We only made things so much worse! Because of our weaknesses and blindness… our clans were destroyed. I drove my own people to destruction. It is my fault…"

Yami's voice faded away for a moment, and to his great horror, Joey saw that he was shaking. Astonished, the blond realized that the former mage-king was crying. He was crying, but no tears came, because birds cannot cry. Looking at Seto, he saw that the blue eyes were fixed on Yami, filled with pain and pity.

"You wanted what was best for your people," Joey said hoarsely and had to restrain himself from walking over and petting the hawk. "I wasn't there, of course, but I think everyone must have been as tired of it as you were. You did what you believed was right, and there was no way for you to know what would happen."

Joey paused for a moment, took a deep breath and then finished:

"And even if you did make a mistake, you have paid for it dearly." _You've lived with this for four hundred years. What more can you do to repent? _

Complete silence surrounded them for a moment.

"Joey…" Yami said softly. "Thank you."

Another short silence followed, and Joey noticed Seto watching him now. Those serious eyes were unreadable, and slowly a blush spread on his cheeks from the intensity of the stare. What? What had he said? What was wrong?

Yami straightened up and cleared his throat.

"Anyway… none of that explains how Bakura and I ended up like this. As you so well know, things went horribly wrong that night at the copper tables. Lakishma opened fire at us, and a battle broke out. In the middle of it all… there was a witch master. A young one. Even to this day, I remember her face so very clearly. Blonde, like everyone of her kind… beautiful but deadly… and with the strongest magical aura I have ever seen."

"She launched an attack at me and Bakura- who was the general of my lifeguard at the time- and hit right on. It was so strange; the attack just went through everyone else without leaving a scratch, as if it _knew _it was meant for the two of us only. It even went right through my magical shield. And when it hit… gods, I've never felt pain like that before. It flared in every part of my body; it was like I had been set on fire and stabbed by a thousand knives all at the same time. I tried to stop it with a counter spell, but that didn't work too well. Everything flashed green, and the next thing I knew, I woke up a hundred years later as a bird. I walked around, confused, for a couple of years before finding Bakura. And hundreds of years after that, we came to the village, and found two small boys who needed our love, protection and guidance. The rest is, so to speak, history."

And that was it. Yami fell silent after that, expecting Joey to ask his questions, but the boy had nothing to say for a few minutes. This was all so much information.

As it all sank in, Joey felt something else well up inside him: a deep compassion and pity for his friend. This couldn't have been easy for him. Still…

"Why… why don't you wanna tell Yugi all of this?" His voice was hoarse and low.

"Because it won't do him any good," Yami said. "He and Ryou will only try to find a way to break the curse, which we already know is impossible. Curses are usually broken once the one who cast them dies, unless there are certain conditions, like with the dragon-curse. But all the witches are dead, and the curse still hasn't lost its power. Yugi and Ryou needs to concentrate on their own education. They are the soul mates of the most powerful mages there was- that's probably why they can control shadow magic at all- and they have a legacy to carry on. Besides-" he looked into the flames with bitter, mournful eyes, "I couldn't stand it if he looked at me with the same pity you're doing right now."

Joey flinched and looked away, knowing it was true. A heavy silence fell over then again, and stretched on for what felt like an eternity. At last, Seto shifted a bit to get comfortable.

"Go to sleep," he told them, "this is a lot of information to take in at the same time, and you need the rest. If there are any more questions in the morning, we can take that then."

"A very good idea," Yami said and jumped over to lie down beside Yugi. "Good night, to both of you."

"Yeah… goodnight."

Joey followed his example and lay down, staring up at the sky blankly. There was no way he'd be able to sleep after hearing all of this. His head was still spinning!

Yami was really a king of magicians who died hundreds of years ago. He had been cursed, transformed into a bird, fallen in love with Yugi, who was his soul mate but didn't know that, or what Yami really was. And he had lived with that for years! And the same went for Bakura.

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? Wasn't there something he could do to help? Not anything? But there must be!

The best thing, naturally, would have been to break the curse, but if Yami was right, that was impossible. And Joey knew _he_ wouldn't be able to break it anyway. But perhaps Seto or Mai had a clue. He'd have to talk to them about that later on. And he'd talk to Yugi and Ryou too. Not tell them what Yami had said, of course; he had made a promise after all. Besides, something inside him was telling him that this was Yami's and Bakura's secret to reveal. But he'd have to try to make the two boys more aware on their teachers/protectors' feelings towards them. He was certain Yugi and Ryou would appreciate it.

Joey lay awake for hours after the others had fallen asleep, thinking about what to tell Yugi and Ryou, and how to bring it up without seeming obvious. It was very late when Joey finally fell asleep.

* * *

They took off early the next morning, after eating a quick but very filling breakfast and packing the few things they had with them. Joey walked around in a fog, too tired to really pay attention to anything. It wasn't until Marik whacked him over the head that he finally woke up and manage to pathetically crawl his way onto Seto's back alongside Malik.

"What's with you today? You're acting like a retard," Malik said and eyed him with a frown. Joey just shrugged and yawned.

"He's finally showing us his real self," Seto said with a smirk.

"Shut up," another yawn, "you reptile!"

"Great comeback, Joey," Ryou smiled in amusement and climbed onto Mokuba's back. A growl made him turn around and glare at Bakura, who was sitting on the ground and looking pissed off. "Oh, for goodness sake, you stubborn fur-ball, just swallow your goddamned pride and get on!"

"I can swim!" Bakura barked and shot Seto a disgusted glare. "I said I wasn't going to fly over with him, and I stick to that!"

"I don't mind," Seto muttered and glared back at him.

To lessen Seto's burden, it had been decided that Ryou should go with Mokuba, since it had already been established that Mokuba _was_ strong enough to lift him. This, however, was a fact that Bakura wasn't at all happy with. But he was even less happy about the fact that everyone wanted _him_ to go with Seto.

"It's not that bad," Marik tried to console with a manic grin. He had already made himself comfortable between Malik and Joey. "It's actually very cosy." And then he pressed his upper body to Malik, who quickly tried to shove him away, blushing.

"Stupid fleabag," Yami murmured and Yugi bobbed his head in agreement and shot Bakura an irritated frown. Bakura stood, or should I say _sat_, fast.

"Look, we don't have time for this," Seto snapped and then quickly reached out and grabbed Bakura, lifting him into the air like he had done so many times with Joey.

The wolf howled in denial and immediately started to struggle. He clawed and bit at Seto's scaly fingers, and snarled at his face in rage.

"Bakura, behave or I am never talking to you again!" Ryou shrieked at him, and the brown eyes shot lightning bolts. "_I mean it_!"

Bakura was still growling dangerously, but he stopped struggling to shoot his protégé a vicious look. For a moment, a silent but violent glare-war took place, and then, at last Bakura growled one last time and broke the stare, instead staring at the ground and pouting.

"Good, now that that's settled, can we please leave?" Yami asked testily, and without waiting for an answer he spread his wings and took off. Seto and Mokuba followed him closely, Bakura still pouting in Seto's hand.

For hours they flew, seeing nothing but water and water and some more water no matter what direction they looked. Once, they saw a ship sail passed far below them, and Yugi used a special invisibility spell to make sure they weren't seen. Seto stayed close behind Mokuba the whole time, keeping an eye on his brother and looking for any signs of problems.

But he needn't have worried. It was obvious the Mokuba was born to fly. Even despite the extra weight of Ryou on his back, he looked strong and carefree: just happy to be in the air.

By noon, Malik discovered something big and dark closing in on them from behind. Upon closer inspection, they discovered it to be clouds. Big, dark, heavy rain-clouds.

"Looks like we're about to get wet," Joey, who had woken up a little more, commented and bent forward over Seto's neck to make sure the dragon heard him. "It's probably a real storm."

"Hn," he answered. "Keep an eye out for any islands we can stop at. I don't like the idea of flying in a storm. A waste of energy."

But for the next two hours there wasn't the slightest hint of an island anywhere, and the clouds came closer and closer.

And as the clouds came closer and closer, Joey could see Seto's frown getting deeper and deeper.

"Can we outrun them?" He asked, a little worried.

"We still have a long way to go, and if we try to race it we will be exhausted long before we reach shore. Better to keep up our current tempo and let it come. A little rain has never hurt anyone."

That was true, of course.

But once the storm hit them, it didn't bring _a little_ rain.

It was as if the sky opened up, pouring a waterfall down over them that Joey had never experienced before in his whole life. It whipped him in the face, blinding him and making his hair and clothes stick to his body like glue. Winds tore at them from all directions, slowing them down and making Seto's formerly strong and steady wing-flaps shaky and unbalanced. Joey, Marik and Malik clung to his back for all they were worth, afraid to slip or be torn off by the incredible forces of nature. A quick and obscure look to their left told Joey that Yami, Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba weren't faring any better, but at least they were still with them.

When the first crash of thunder boomed not so far above them, it almost gave Joey a heart attack. The next thing he knew, thunderbolts were tearing up the sky everywhere around them. Every flash was so strong and clear it made bright spots dance in front of their eyes when they disappeared, leaving darkness in their wake. The lightning was accompanied by the deafening booms of thunder, heavy enough to shout down even the wind.

"Stick close together!" Seto roared into the living nightmare, flying up so close to his brother their wings almost brushed. "_Don't loose sight of each other_!"

Bakura was still clutched in Seto's hand, and a quick glance his way showed Joey that even though the wolf was drenched to the bone, his eyes were completely fixed on Ryou, who was still clinging to Mokuba's back. He spotted Yami and Yugi only one or two metres in front of them. They were all flying in a very close pack now.

Another bright flash split the sky right behind them, and almost at the same time, a long 'BOOM' went off. Joey wanted to put his hands over his ears, but didn't dare let go of Seto.

"Joey, can you see anything beneath us?" Seto suddenly called to him, and Joey forced himself to open his eyes and look at the stormy sea under them. He could see nothing but darkness and giant waves.

"No, there's no islands as fa-"

This time, the lightning and thunder stroke at the exact same time. The dangerous sphere of electricity shot down like a huge arrow, straight at them. Miraculously, it zoomed right passed them, not even one metre away, and hit the surface of the water, just like all its brother's had, but the pulse which shot out as it passed was enough to throw Seto to the side, the flash strong enough to temporary blind all of them.

Joey could feel the electricity pass throughout his whole body; making his hair stand on end and his fingers tingle. He could feel Seto's body spasm beneath him, proving that he wasn't the only one who felt it. The air was crackling, and the smell of ozone and something burnt filled his nostrils.

After a few seconds the feeling died, even if the smell lingered. And when Joey's vision cleared, it was to the sight of a winged shadow falling towards the sea about fifty metres away.

His heart and stomach lurched.

"_MOKUBA_!" Seto's voice was nothing but a horrified roar.

"_RYOU_!" Bakura's was just as bad.

And then the dragon threw himself forward, zooming through the air at a speed Joey didn't think was possible, almost making his passengers fall off in the process. Joey held on as hard as he could to Seto's neck, praying as the dragon tried to save his brother. Behind him Marik pulled Malik close and held on for all he was worth.

As if in slow-motion Joey watched Mokuba's fall towards the water, the deep sea of darkness; the blonde's body was frozen over and he was unable to tear his eyes away. And as the drakling hit the water and was swallowed by the waves, he couldn't help the scream of denial which tore itself from his throat.

"He's gonna dive right in!" Joey heard someone scream from behind him, and somehow, he realized right away that it was true. Seto wasn't slowing down, even though the water-surface was coming steadily closer. He was ready to dive as deep as he had to find his brother, never mind the huge waves which would be more than happy to pull them down and never let go. His wild eyes were fixed on the spot where Mokuba had disappeared, but he didn't see the water, or what it could do to all of them. Joey panicked.

"Seto, you're gonna drown us all!" The cry was desperate and fearful, and as if through a miracle, it cut right through the daze Seto's mind had fallen into. Barely two metres above the water, he stretched his wings out and came to an abrupt halt, making Joey, Malik and Marik sway dangerously.

"_NO!_" Bakura howled. "Ryou! Let me go! Ryou's down there! Let me go, damn you! My Ryou! _Ryou_!_ RYOU_!"

But Seto didn't let him go, despite claws and nails and struggling arms. His grip was firm, frozen, and he couldn't have broken it even if he wanted to.

The wind continued to howl and the rain continued to fall, and above them the thunder raged on, but of Ryou and Mokuba, in the cold wild water, there was no sign.

**I told you I'd update faster this time. **

**And I told you the tempo would speed up soon! –Grins- God, I love cliff-hangers!**

**I'm very pleased with this chapter! And it practically wrote itself! That's how writing should be: fun and no work at all! XD (I'm a lazy bastard, aren't I) Although I wasn't going to include the part where Yami told his tale at first, but then I decided that you guys definitely deserved a longer chapter, with all the time you've had to wait, and all the nice reviews I've received! **

**Well, my family and I are heading off to Gothenburg tomorrow to see a Bruce Springsteen concert, and I hope I can come back to a whole bunch of new reviews! Don't disappoint me! XD **

**And as usual, thanx to those who reviewed last chapter!**

**Deme, ****Flea, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, pennypigeon, journey maker, mandapandabug, Silver Hunteress, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, BatNeko, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Tori-chan, ONIX-21, N.M. Smith – Mr. Cackles, rubisora18117, Melipapaya, Purple Sox, Snape Goes Commando, Hi Kitsune, RinkyPink, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, Eshhnay, CountessKitsune, tommy2.0, The Only Love for Soujiro Seta, Coconut Kazuo, death by storm, Makoto-Elena, manga magirekomu, Silver Tears 11, Riceball the Second, Valine, Kiki, kaeryth, hachinisasareru, Iruweenie, kekame and ylc**

**I've just come to a conclusion:**

**Mai's soundtrack should be 'My Humps' by Black Eyed Peas. **

**Just a thought! XD**

**And why yes, I _am_ on crack tonight! **

**R&R!!**


	19. Shelter

Chapter eighteen: Shelter

Seto was like a flying statue.

The only things on his body which moved were his wings and his mortified eyes, which swept over the dark water, hoping, praying, _begging_ that Mokuba's head at any moment would break the surface. But it was as if the drakling and his albino companion had been swallowed whole: Seto was sure _this_ was the spot they had hit the water- he'd been looking straight at his brother, for goodness sake!- but there was no sign of him, here or anywhere close by.

Instead, wherever he looked, he saw darkness and waves. It was as if they were mocking him… '_We've got your brother now_' they seemed to cackle. '_He's ours, and you'll never see him again. There's nothing you can do!_'

_Oh god NO!_

Seto _forced_ himself to snap out of it, and started circling the water, flying as close as he dared to the surface, mindful of the storm, all the while keeping his eyes open for any sign of his brother. He would find him or sink to the bottom of the sea along with him. There were no other options. He had only been a few seconds too late. How far could a dragon sink in that time?

_Too far._

He didn't even notice that Bakura was still trashing back and forth in his hand, completely blind to anything but his own pain and Ryou.

"Let me go, or I'll fucking kill you!"

"Bakura, if you go into the water you'll only drown!" Yugi called to him from Yami's back, trying desperately to reason with him, even as tears were running down his own cheeks. Needless to say, it was useless.

"Don't care! Don't care! Don't care! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" Bakura chanted and had even started to gnaw at Seto's fingers: if he couldn't squeeze his way free, he'd just chew his restrictions off- like a fox stuck in a fox strap would chew his own leg off. If the biting hurt Seto, he ignored it.

Hours seemed to pass (although it couldn't have been more than ten, twenty minutes) while the dragon and hawk circled the water, looking for something- _anything, god dammit!_- that could be a clue. How could a dragon and a boy just disappear like that?! It was insane!

Only it wasn't. It wasn't insane, it was perfectly possible! It wasn't called The _Great_ Middle Sea for nothing. A boy and a dragon was nothing- through the centuries whole _fleets_ had disappeared here!

So what were their chances? Really.

But none of them voice this. None of them even dared think it! So instead they looked, and prayed and feared. And as more and more time ticked by, hope seemed to die, and like so often, despair took its place.

Soon Joey's tears joined Yugi's. Malik shook violently, and only Marik, still holding him close to his body, knew it was from more than the cold. Yami looked tired and so very sad. Bakura seemed to have lost all energy. He was still squirming, still struggling and fighting… but without Ryou it seemed as if his energy was draining quickly.

"Please…" He rasped, hoarse from screaming. "Please let me go… I can't… please… _Ryou…_!"

It's fascinating how little it takes to force the mighty on their knees.

And Seto…?

Seto didn't do anything but keep flying, keep looking, keep _hoping_. His eyes didn't darken, didn't water, his flaps didn't get weaker; his resolve didn't break for a moment. He was a rock. That is… if a rock could keep going with such desperate hope, such stubbornness. Because the truth of the matter was that Seto's control didn't _allow _him to feel anything. He was nothing but a machine. He was nothing but the will to find Mokuba. He didn't speak, didn't even seem to notice his companions or the storm or anything else.

He was _Resolve_.

And Joey, the boy sitting on his back, the boy whom he meant so much to, the boy whose mind was completely focused on both him and the water bellow them, could feel all of this as if it was his own mind, his own feelings.

And that made him dry his tears. It made him sit up straighter, and push all thoughts of despair aside. It made him stronger.

"We'll find them," he whispered too himself, and stroked the scales on Seto's neck with one hand, trying to absorb his strength even more. "We'll find _him_."

Unbeknownst to Joey, the words and caress was like a warm, soothing balm on Seto's mind, and it made his resolve even stronger, if that was possible.

And then, as if Joey's voice had triggered something, a huge, clear pillar of light broke through the surface on the other side of a large wave, as if someone had lit a giant flashlight. For a moment the group froze, unable to do anything but stare as the flash raised itself towards the sky, penetrating the clouds and continuing upwards towards space.

And then it was gone, just as suddenly as it had come.

The first to snap out of it was Bakura.

"_RYOU_!" He howled and started struggling in Seto's grip again, his strength returning.

Not even a second after Bakura's scream Seto made a complete turn in the air and was zooming towards the light, a look of hope and desperateness covering his face. Joey clung to his back, hoping and praying that it really was Ryou and Mokuba. What else could it be?

They flew over the waves, the wind tearing at them to no avail, they were almost there…

At the exact same moment Joey and Seto caught sight of the dark spot in the middle of the water.

"_Mokuba_!"

Finally Seto did what Bakura had asked him to for the last half hour and let him go. The wolf tumbled into the water below, but didn't even seem to notice the cold as he quickly started swimming towards his goal, having spotted something white beside the dark spot Seto was aiming for.

Then everything happened in a blur. Seto threw himself into the sea, grabbed Mokuba in his hands and pulled him into his embrace. Saltwater sprayed over him and the others as he flapped his wings, stinging their eyes and leaving a salty taste in their mouths. The large body quickly started to sink; the water was soon reaching up over Seto's sides. Joey was vaguely aware that Marik and Malik were screaming behind him, reaching into the water and hauling a soaking Bakura and Ryou up onto Seto's back beside them.

At the same time Seto was desperately trying to gain altitude again, but it was hard: the water seemed to be pulling him down, sucking him in, and the heavy rain didn't make it any better. For a few horrible, heart-stopping seconds, it looked like they were all going to drown, and the cold, deadly water reached Joey's waist.

"Seto!" The blond screamed in terror, clinging to his neck.

And finally Seto's efforts started to pay off as his body slowly rose, making the water cascade off of him. Soon his back was out of water again, making it easier to fly, and then his sides, his whole body. At last, they were once again levitating in the air above the sea, steadily gaining height.

"Mokuba," Seto murmured, looking at the precious cargo in his arms with fearful eyes. "Little brother…"

Mokuba was lying limply in his arms, his breath shallow and his eyes closed. When he didn't respond to his brother's voice, Seto's distress grew.

"Mokuba," he repeated, firmer this time. "Mokuba, wake up!" And he shook him a few times.

The shaking apparently started something, because suddenly Mokuba choked, rolled over and started coughing. Joey felt sick when he saw how much water poured out of his mouth. Was it even possible for such a small body to hold that much water?

After a few moments the coughing subsided, and Mokuba rolled back over and looked up at his brother with big eyes.

"Seto…" he murmured, "sorry… the thunder took me by surprise. Got a shock…"

Seto looked ready to cry.

"Little brother," he breathed and pressed the drakling closer to his own body. "Get some rest."

Mokuba hiccupped once and nuzzled his brother, closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep in a matter of seconds.

Finally, _finally_ Joey's heart started to slow down. He gave a relieved sigh, laying his forehead against Seto's scales to catch his breath for a moment. Then he turned around to his other friends. Ryou was lying safely in Bakura's arms, crushed so hard to the wolf-man's chest he couldn't possibly breathe, but he didn't seem to mind. He was wet, cold, tired and still shaking violently, but otherwise looked unharmed.

"I was afraid you wouldn't see my signal," he sobbed into Bakura's chest. "I thought we were going to die. I thought you'd never find us… I…"

Bakura just pressed him closer and growled softly. It seemed to help somehow, because Ryou's sobs grew softer.

"M-Mokuba," he managed to get out and turned his face, wet from seawater, rain and tears, towards Joey.

"Fine. Sleeping." Joey said, and the albino turned back around to his guardian and cried new tears, this time of relief.

"Now we definitely need to find a place to rest," Yami said from beside them, and his red eye lingered on all of them in turn. His feather-coat was soaked, as was Yugi, whose hair had started to drop. It would have been a comical sight, if it wasn't for the looks on their faces.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Seto muttered, and Joey laid back down over his neck, laughing softly, feeling relief wash over him. They were okay now. They were safe. They were alive.

But someone up there had apparently decided that things wouldn't be easy for them, because as they continued to fly through the storm, there were still no islands in sight. The winds tore at them and the water poured still, but there wasn't a single speck of light in the darkness. Hours passed, and they all sat huddled together on Seto, cold, tired, wet, and without anywhere to go.

But Seto, of course, was in the worst condition. He was strong and capable, and had never had any trouble flying long distances, but this was in the middle of a violent storm, for hours, with five people on his back and another dragon in his arms, not to mention his own weight. After a few hours, his wing-flaps became heavier, slower, and his breathing sped up, as if he had been running a long distance. Yami, flying beside him, looked just as worn.

Joey's search for a place for them to land was getting desperate. The wind had weakened a little, and the thunder had long since passed, but the rain was still as heavy and unforgiving.

"It can't be that far now," Joey said in weak encouragement. "Just a little bit further."

And yet, no land was spotted and they were all growing incredibly tired of the sight of water beneath them. Seto and Yami were tilting on the brink of exhaustion now. At one point they decided to take a risk and moved Malik over onto Yami's back, but not even that could lighten Seto's burden any. The situation was getting serious. If they didn't find a place to land soon they might actually crash into the ocean.

Another few hours passed, and Seto was so tired that he was shaking. Joey somehow tried to transfer some of his strength to the dragon by rubbing a hand over his scales, but it wasn't working. He was getting scared now. They had slowly started to sink, as Seto was getting too tired to keep them so high above the water. Soon his tail and hind-legs would be touching the waves, and then his whole body would-

"Look!" Yugi suddenly cried and pointed at something in front of them.

Snapping his head up, Joey saw a silhouette in the distance, small and dark in the thick fog which had placed itself around them. It wasn't much, but it was enough to light a candle of hope inside him.

"Just a little more," he told Seto and stroked his quivering neck again. "You'll get some rest soon, Seto."

The dragon didn't say anything, but his flaps gained a little strength, and he accelerated a little in the direction of the shadow with Yami trailing behind him.

The closer they came, the more Joey's hope grew, because it was obvious that the silhouette really _was_ an island. It wasn't big; Joey would be able to walk around it in less than half an hour, but they really didn't need more. There was a beach to land on, and a small motte, that's all that mattered.

Seto's landing was a bit clumsy, but he managed to put Mokuba down on the beach with such tenderness the drakling might as well have been made of glass. Joey, Ryou, Bakura and Marik slipped off his back as Yami landed beside them. The gang immediately got to work with putting up some kind of shelter. Malik started loading their bags off of Seto, for once not glaring at Marik as he helped. Bakura carried Ryou to Mokuba's side, put him down and then went to get some blankets. Yami and Seto pretty much sagged to the ground, completely exhausted.

"Come on, Joey," Yugi said and grabbed his arm, dragging him away from the rest of the group. "Help me make a rain cover."

Joey threw a glance over his shoulder at Seto. The dragon looked tried and worn, and was completely focused on his little brother, whom Malik was just placing a few blankets over. (Joey didn't see the point; everything they had with them was completely soaked, and the rain, which was still falling steadily, didn't make it better.)

Yugi was very effective: before Joey knew it, he and Yugi had gathered a group of stones, and placed them all in a large, neat circle around their friends. Once Yugi was satisfied with the circle, he bent down, touched one of them with his ring- and forefinger, mumbled a word Joey didn't catch, and a large dome of light appeared above them, activated from each of the small stones. It effectively held the rain and wind out, but Joey could pass right through it without feeling anything. Yugi nodded once in satisfaction before they both returned to the group.

Blankets and pillows were already starting to come up, and a small fire was even burning in the middle of their 'camp'. Ryou was sitting huddled beside a now conscious Mokuba, and both of them were practically drowning among blankets.

"Yugi, Joey," a tried voice said and Joey turned to look at Seto. "Come here."

They both obeyed without a word, standing in front of him with questioning looks. Seto didn't say anything else, just stretched his neck a little, and opened his mouth as if he was going to swallow them whole. But as his mouth opened, an almost scorching gust of wind swept over Joey, effectively drying him and his clothes in a matter of seconds.

The same procedure was made on Yugi, and just like Joey, the boy dried up quickly, his hair standing back up with a comical '_boink'_.

"Thanks," Joey said and smiled at the dragon. Seto gave him a faint smile in return, before he dragged himself over to Mokuba, wrapped himself around him, and promptly fell asleep. Joey didn't blame him.

"Poor Seto," Yugi said from beside him and frowned a little before turning around to see if there was something he could help with in the camp. In the end he went over to Yami, who had changed into his smaller shape again, and was sleeping on one of the blankets with his head under his wing.

It wasn't too long before the rest of them had settled down too. Not many words were spoken: everyone simply curled up under the blankets and fell asleep, too tired to do much more.

Or _almost_ everyone, anyway. Malik was sitting on his blanket, with all their maps spread out around him, frowning heavily. He didn't even seem to notice that Marik had chosen to put his sleeping bag right next to his own. Nor did he notice the violet eyes studying him hungrily.

"Problem?" Marik purred from beside him, not for a moment taking his eyes off the boy.

"The ink's been smudged," Malik said darkly, studying the biggest map, the one where he had drawn their route. He was so engorged he didn't notice the lazy way the other blond was watching him. That was a mistake. "I'll have to buy a new one in the next town we visit, and redraw the route. I hate going into towns to buy things… you never know when someone might notice that you're paying with dragon gold, and try to steal it."

"Mhm…" Marik murmured and leaned in closer, obviously not listening. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," he whispered in Malik's ear.

Malik jumped and finally seemed to realize who he was talking to.

"_Would you cut that out_?!" He hissed and scooted away, glaring at Marik and at the same time being mindful of their sleeping companions. "What the hell is your problem?! What in the world have I done to make you believe I'm interested? I don't _want _you! Get that into your scull!"

"You haven't even given me a chance," Marik said almost whiningly. "I just wanted to take your mind off of your problems for a little while."

"By sexually harassing me?"

"I didn't hear you complaining when we were sitting on the dragon's back."

"We were in the middle of a storm! Mokuba and Ryou were missing! Were you thinking about _that_ then? You really are a pervert! What do I have to do to make you understand I'm _not interested_?!"

"Your smell has to change," Marik said. "It is far too seductive."

Malik stared at him in disbelief.

"I can't change the way I smell!"

"Your smell is a reflection of your emotions," Marik said, and inched his way closer. "The hawk and wolf smell like anger and sorrow, the dragon like suspicion, the human like confusion… _you_ on the other hand smell like fear… and longing."

Malik froze.

"So you see, my dear, because of your smell I _do_ believe you're interested, whether you admit it or not. I believe you're afraid of me, and it turns you on." He moved a little closer, but the younger blond didn't seem to notice, too busy staring at him. "Or maybe you would like to be like me. Is that it? Maybe… we're not so different. It's hard, isn't it? Pretending you're like everyone else. I know: I did it for years with my pack." Their legs were touching now. "But really… you're pretty wild, aren't you? You're just like me…"

"You're wrong…" Malik's heart was beating fast. Why, he had no idea. He wasn't _attracted_ to this werewolf. They'd just met, for goodness sake! And it didn't matter if he looked more like a human since he had cleaned up. He was still an animal on the inside! Malik could see it in his eyes. And it didn't matter if the things he said struck a cord inside him…. _It didn't matter_! "I'm not… I don't want to be like you…"

"Then you want me to have you," Marik said smugly, close enough for their noses to bump. "Then you want me to own you and bring out what no one else has ever seen. You want to be released, don't you? Chains are so uncomfortable, no matter how long you've been wearing them."

"Stop!" Malik said and pushed him away, only to feel something warm on his lower back. "And let go of me!"

"Let's test my theory." The werewolf growled, violet eyes glowing.

Then he was on Malik, pressing him into the ground with one hand on his chest and the other on his hip, and as his rough, dry lips pressed down on the younger man's, Malik's heart stopped for a moment and he once again froze up completely.

Then he was growling, reaching up with his hands to claw at the other's shoulders, desperately trying to get him off. Anger and fear welled up inside him, making something dark awake inside him; an instinct to fight.

There was nothing tender in the kiss. Nothing romantic or even arousing (or so Malik told himself). Marik was rough, pressing him into the ground without the slightest hint of tenderness; the larger male _demanded_ this, and Malik would be damned if he gave it to him! Therefore, when a warm, sneaky tongue plunged into his mouth without stopping for permission, he bit down hard, refusing to accept it.

But to his great surprise Marik didn't pull back, even as the metallic taste of blood reached their taste buds. Instead a dark, dangerous growl travelled from his chest into Malik, and his own sharp teeth bit down hard on Malik's bottom lip, drawing blood, at the same time as a large hand sneaked into his hair and _pulled_.

It was like fireworks went off inside Malik. The darkness which had been awoken by his fear and anger simply exploded, filling his whole body and sending his mind on a seemingly permanent vacation. He made a sound which could have been a scream, had his mouth not been covered, and suddenly his own hands were in long, unruly hair, pulling and pressing brutally, and his mouth was wide open, teeth scraping against any part of his aggressor's face that he could reach.

It wasn't even a kiss. It was a full-blown _tongue-war_! Sloppy and wild and brutal and oh god Malik had never been so turned on in his whole life!

Then Marik pulled back with a gasping growl, and Malik whined and mewled at him in irritation, even as he pulled in deep breaths. He hadn't even realized he needed air until he got it in his lungs!

The werewolf wasted no time, but dove down again, biting his neck so hard he almost, _almost_, drew blood, and Malik quickly got his revenge by setting his teeth in his ear, making the other hiss angrily.

Instinct made him cock his head to the side so that the werewolf could bite and lick his neck more. Instinct made him literally _claw_ his way down the other's back, and then back up again, no doubt leaving red marks on skin, even through the shirt. Instinct made him spread his legs to make his partner fall in between them, and at the same time bend his knees and put his feet flat on the ground, creating a 'valley' for Marik to sit in. Instinct made him mewl as their groins brushed against each other at this change of position, and instinct made him lift his hips to bring them together again.

And _oh yes_, Malik couldn't help but purr when the other lowered his own hips, forcing their erections together again without mercy, creating wonderful, wonderful friction. And Marik was taking control completely now, lifting himself up on his arms to get a better view as he slammed his hips forward over and over again, loving the sounds of submission his pet was making. But he was a merciful master, because he let the younger boy rake his nails over his arms in the same way he'd done on his back, and he allowed him to lift his hips to meet every thrust. Yes, yes, he was a merciful master.

Then the little one was raising himself up, and the werewolf had to wonder how the hell he could just lift his upper body like that, without using his arms and without stopping the movements of his hips, but then lips and teeth and tongue were on his, and hands were yanking painfully at his hair again, and he became far to busy punishing the other for his brashness to think about it.

The werewolf put his whole weight on one arm and wrapped the other around the blonde's back to keep them locked in that position, his hand resting just above warm buttocks. The boy's head fell back as Marik once again attacked his throat and neck, and he listened to the sweets sounds Malik cried to the dark rainy sky above. Not once during all this did the thrusts of their hips cease.

Malik's head was swimming. All he felt was heat and friction and hot breaths against his skin. His mind hadn't registered a single one of his moves this far, neither did it seem to notice as his legs wrapped themselves around the werewolf's waist and latched on, placing him completely in the other's lap.

He had never, _ever_ felt something like this! He'd had sex before; there had been plenty of willing men and women on his many journeys, but he had never lost control like this. _This_ was a complete typhoon of emotions- of heat and pleasure and instinct and want, and it all gathered in a tension in his lower stomach which was oh so deliciously painful, and he wanted more, _more, MORE_!

He didn't even know what '_more_' was, but he knew… simply _knew_ that if he could just touch some more, kiss some more, _feel_ some more, he'd soon figure it out, and then he'd reach a place he'd never been but always wanted to be. All Marik had to do was keep kissing and squeezing and clawing and, most importantly: _moving_, and soon… _soon_…

But suddenly Marik threw himself back, away, as if he'd been burned, and for a moment, the two sat frozen in their embrace, staring at each other. Malik hungrily studied messy hair and clothes, sweaty skin, lips which had been kissed/bitten raw and bleeding… and those eyes… the dangerous, wild, glowing eyes of a wolf…

Sweet gods in heaven, but he wanted this man- no! …this _creature_, _in_ him!

"Fuck!" Marik growled, and Malik thought that sounded like an absolutely fabulous idea, but then he was de-tangling himself (with difficulty, mind you, seeing as Malik obviously had other plans) and standing up and running away into the dark night and rain without as much as a word or a glance back.

And Malik simply stared at the place where he's disappeared, before rolling over onto his side and curling up in a ball of quivering, painful want, and _sobbed_ in anger and need.

It took him at least fifteen minutes to come to his senses.

Hours before the pain went away.

* * *

Joey awoke the next morning to the sight of a blue sky and shining sun. Yugi and Yami were grilling some kind of meat above the open fire, and at the sound of soft whining they turned to look at Joey.

"Hungry?" Yugi asked with a small smile, but the puppy-ish look on Joey's face told him all he had to know. "Breakfast will be done soon."

Joey gave him a bright smile in answer, and then stretched languidly a few times before letting his gaze sweep over the camp to inspect the situation.

Seto, to his great pleasure, was up and running, as was Mokuba and Ryou, even if the two last mentioned weren't allowed outside the forts of blankets their guardians had built around them. Seto was lying beside Mokuba, his whole attention focused on his younger brother as they talked. Bakura had placed Ryou in his lap and had his arms wrapped around the boy tightly. Joey noticed, with amusement, that Ryou was frowning a little in irritation.

Letting his gaze wander some more, Joey noticed Marik wasn't anywhere in sight, but Malik was sitting beside Yugi, throwing parchment after parchment into the fire, with a completely pissed off look on his face. Joey highly suspected that had something to do with their wayward werewolf.

Yawning once, he sauntered over and sat down beside Malik. Yami gave him a you-really-shouldn't-even-try look, but Joey, being Joey, ignored it.

"Hey," he said. "You okay?"

"Fine," Malik bit out and slapped another piece of paper down among the flames. "Nothing wrong here, no sir-ee! I've never been better!"

"Okay, if you say so…. Isn't that our maps?" Joey asked, having caught a glimpse of the paper before it was burnt.

"The rain smudged them," Malik said testily. "We'll have to buy new ones."

And suddenly, his expression darkened even more, as if he had just remembered something which pissed him off even more. Joey had to restrain himself from moving away from the dark, evil aura the other young man was oozing.

"Dude, calm down, it's just maps," he tried to console, even if he knew the problem wasn't really the maps.

"Yeah yeah," Malik growled, obviously not listening.

"Did something happen yesterday?" Yugi asked, trying to come to Joey's rescue. Yami made a why-are-they-even-trying?-face at the heavens. "During the storm or anything? Or maybe you just didn't sleep well?"

Malik froze.

"That's it?" Joey asked. "You couldn't sleep? Well, I can get that. I don't think any of us slept really well. Too much tension, you know. I bet it will-"

"It's none of your business!" Malik suddenly hissed and fixed them with a completely furious look. This time, Joey really _did_ scoot away! "_Leave me alone_!"

Complete silence settled over them, and everyone stared at the dirty-blond. Joey's and Yugi's eyes were wide like saucers.

"Fuck is wrong with _you_?" Bakura asked in bewilderment. "You PMS-ing or something?!"

Malik glared at him, opened his mouth, hesitated and closed it again. In the end, he just stood up and marched off, leaving them all staring after him in confusion.

The daze was broken by a heavy sigh from Yami.

"Maybe," he said softly, "we should just go back home. This journey hasn't been all that successful this far."

"What?!" Mokuba exclaimed. "_No_! I wanna see that town! We can't turn back because of one little mishap! Malik said the worst part would be the ocean! Well, we've passed that now! The rest of this trip will be a fruitcake."

"Mokuba, we don't even know if the town is still there once we arrive," Yami said. "It moves, remember?"

"I still wanna try! This is an important part of my past, and I can't even remember it!" Mokuba turned to look at Seto with big, pleading eyes. "Please, big brother! I wanna do this! We were fine until the storm, and what are the chances of another one like that? Don't call this off! We really should continue!"

Seto studied him with a serious face, and Joey realized he was trying to figure out just how much more danger this trip would put Mokuba in. Last night had been Seto's worst nightmare come true, and he would become even more protective from now on.

_Even so_, he thought with a soft smile,_ Seto's still a sucker for Mokuba's puppy eyes._

"Who wants to go home?" The dragon asked at last and let his sharp blue gaze sweep over the gang.

Yami nodded, and Bakura raised his hand with a determined frown. Otherwise, no one reacted.

"Okay," Seto said. "Who wants to continue?"

"Me! Me!" Mokuba cried.

There was a moment of hesitation, wherein everybody else thought about it, and then Joey slowly raised his hand. Ryou ignored the incredulous look his wolf shot him and stubbornly raised his as well.

"Sorry Yami," Yugi said with a small smile at the hawk, then he too raised his hand.

Seto's gaze once more swooped over them, and after another moment of silence, he sighed heavily.

"Very well, we'll continue."

Mokuba whooped and jumped right out of his blankets, but as he studied Seto, Joey got the distinct impression that the dragon much rather would have taken them home again.

Either way, said was done. The next day they packed their things and left the small island which had become their salvation. Joey, Marik, Ryou and a grumpy Bakura were once again riding on Seto's back, and Mokuba was once again clutched safely in his brother's arms. Seto wasn't taking any risks. Malik, on the other hand, straight out refused to go anywhere near Marik, and was riding beside Yugi on Yami's back. The blond had been nothing but cold and cruel to the werewolf since his little fit in the camp, only proving that something indeed _had_ happened between the two. But no one said anything about it: the tension was thick as it was.

It took them only a few hours to reach the main-land, and they stopped for the day close to a port city, and Malik went by himself into town to buy new maps. He spent the whole night sitting by himself a bit away from the fireplace, re-planning and drawing their route. His mood didn't lift at all, and he kept ignoring Marik stubbornly, even thought the werewolf kept 'courting' him the way he'd done before.

But other than the tension between the two blondes, things were going surprisingly well. Now that they had left the ocean behind, Mokuba was allowed to fly by himself again, and Bakura and Marik didn't have to ride with Seto. Without his brother in his arms and only Joey and Malik on his back, Seto didn't have any trouble at all anymore.

Still, things didn't go back to the cheerful, relaxed way they had been before the storm. And it wasn't only because of the feud between Malik and Marik. When Joey thought back on that dark episode, he had to admit that they had been incredibly lucky that no one got hurt or even died. He shuddered at the thought and pushed it away, focusing instead on the rest of the journey: it wasn't much further now.

Three days after the storm, a mountain became visible at the horizon, steadily coming closer, and Malik could easily confirm that it was the mountain they had been looking for. At this news, Mokuba started making small loops in the air in excitement, and Joey had to admit that he was more than a little interested himself.

Bakura and Marik disappeared out of sight as Seto, Mokuba and Yami flew higher, almost up to the clouds. They wanted to get a clear view of the top of the mountain, to see if there really was a city down there, and if it was safe to land. The air above the mountain was thin and cold, and Joey shivered a little against his will. Malik, who was sitting beside him, rummaged around in one of their bags and pulled out a blanket for each of them.

Soon they were circling right above the mountain, and Joey bent down to get a better view. Even if the air was crisp, the top was covered in a light fog, and he had to strain his eyes to see anything. There was… something down there… he just couldn't see what it was.

Then Seto flew in a little closer, penetrating the fog and making his sight clearer.

Joey gasped.

**Marik and Malik's soundtrack: "The bad touch" by Blood Hound Gang… there's just no other song for them. XD**

**Yessss, bad, BAD cliff-hanger, I know. But I felt the urge to end it here, and you must always listen to the urge. The urge rules the world. **

**Well, if last chapter practically rote itself, then this… didn't! I'm actually very unhappy with how this turned out! Please forgive me! But at least I think I manage to crank it out in an okay amount of time this time. You haven't had to wait all that long, have you? **

**I'm sorry I haven't had time to answer all your nice reviews, but three of my work mates have been sick this week, and I REALLY wanna keep working there when summer ends… so yeah, I volunteered to take their place! Therefore, the fictional world has had to take a step back for the real one. I'm even surprised I managed to get this chapter out so fast. I've stayed up until one o'clock at night to write! XD **

**But I'll still list you! You deserve THAT much at least! **

**Deme, Flea, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, ****pennypigeon, journey maker, mandapandabug, casaragi, ArrowSphere, Silver Hunteress, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Tori-chan, ONIX-21, N.M. Smith – Mr. Cackles, rubisora18117, Purple Sox, Hi Kitsune, RinkyPink, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, tommy2.0, The Only Love for Soujiro Seta, Makoto-Elena, manga magirekomu, Silver Tears 11, Valine, Iruweenie, Drew, Reincarnated Rat, lacy, kaibasoulmate7, Tommylover and ylc**

**Damn, you people rock! XD**

**R&R!!**


	20. City of Dragons

Chapter nineteen: City of Dragons

It was only logical that since dragons were so much bigger than humans, they had to build bigger houses.

Joey just never thought their houses would be _this _big!

Because the city spread out beneath him and the rest of the gang was absolutely magnificent. Not a single building was smaller than the castle in Domino- as a matter of fact, only five or six houses were the same size as his childhood home. All the others were twice, thrice, _four times_ as big! And it wasn't a small city either! Even if the buildings had been human size, Joey was sure this place would have been a lot greater than Domino. And everything was built in ivory.

Embellished pillars held the roofs up, the broad streets were made of white stone, and everywhere huge statues of known dragons and warriors had been built. In the middle of the city, an incredible building in the shape of a half-circle stood proud; larger and more beautiful than all the others. A huge white pillar, surely more than two hundred metres in diameter, shot up from in the middle of it, and on the top of the pillar stood a castle with sharp, pointy towers and waving banners.

For a few moments, Joey was rendered speechless, unable to do anything but stare at the wonder spread out below him. As if to make it even more magical, the fog suddenly dispersed, making the sun shine down and give the ivory an ethereal glow. It looked like the home of gods.

Joey swallowed.

"So… is this is?" he asked Seto softly, still not taking his eyes off the city.

"Yes," Seto answered after a moment's pause. "This is Tangea."

"I told you it was incredible," Malik said from behind Joey, just as taken with it as the blond.

After a few more minutes of circling and just looking, Seto, Yami and Mokuba finally landed on an open public square in the eastern part of the city. The street was smooth beneath their feet, and in the middle of the square, a fountain stood proud. There was no water in it now, but it was just as clean and sparkling as it must have been four-hundred years ago. In the middle, a statue of two dragons was placed. One of the dragons had raised himself on his hind legs, dressed in silver armour with wings spread wide, claws bared and mouth open as if he was just about to shoot a burst of fire on someone. The other dragon was sitting with his head bent elegantly on a huge pile of books.

"Strength and wisdom," Seto murmured softly as he looked at it. "The two virtues our kind was most proud of."

"This is amazing," Mokuba breathed with eyes wide like saucers as he looked around. Soon, he dragged Joey and Yugi off down the street, eager to see everything, with Seto trailing behind them silently. Yami took flight again: intending to find Marik, Bakura and Ryou and bring them to the rest of the gang.

Joey was almost as excited as Mokuba, and wished he'd had another couple of eyes. All the buildings were in perfect shape (Seto explained it was thanks to magic) and covered in squiggly patterns and beautiful decorations. The entrances were rounded, and all of the buildings had big balconies, no doubt to land on and _then_ walk in. Even if the roofs were pointy, they had small steps cut into them, as if to make it easier for the dragons to sit on them and look down at the streets.

The whole city, although completely abandoned, still felt alive, somehow. For every step he took, Joey felt something tingle in his skin: magic, no doubt. From his inner eye, Joey could see these streets bustling with life; how dragons in all shapes, sizes and colours walked around, in and out of houses, flew through air, or sat on roofs conversing and minding their own business. He wished he could have seen it with his own eyes. It must have been magnificent.

After a while, Yami arrived with Marik, Bakura and Ryou in tow, and they spent hours sightseeing, until they finally reached the half circle-shaped building Joey had seen from the air. It was, if possible, even more magnificent this close up; at least five kilometres long, if it had been straight instead of bent. It was really nothing but a long stone-colonnade to stroll through, except only one "wall" was made of pillars, and the other of solid stone. Mosaic-paintings covered that wall, and the strong colours were reflected on the spotless floor, giving the whole building a beautiful mix of colours. As Joey followed Mokuba and Yugi up the two steps which led into the building, he couldn't help but feel completely overwhelmed at all this beauty.

How lucky was he? The first human to see this in four hundred years- maybe ever! How could something this grand _exist_ without people knowing it?!

"This is the temple," Seto told them with a far off look in his eyes as he stepped into the building after them. "The wall is enchanted; it shows our kind's whole history, since the beginning. The very first picture, on one end of the wall, shows our creation. The other end- the one which will probably picture our extinction- is still empty. Now and then, a new picture simply appears: a reflection of something that's happened. And sometimes… the wall even shows things before they happen. No one knows who created it; all we know is that our ancestors built this whole town around this wall, to protect it. It will probably stand long after we are gone."

"Cool!" Mokuba exclaimed and looked at one picture, of two dragons locked in battle with a blood-red kingdom between them. "I can't believe I didn't know any of this! Why didn't you ever tell me, big brother?"

"I never thought we would return here," Seto said with a shrug. "Why dwell on the past?"

"Either way, this is amazing," Yami said and studied another picture closely. "I have never, ever felt magic this strong before. It's like it'd divided in different… layers?"

"Every generation of dragon-lords have left their impression on the city, and the wall," Seto said. "My grandfather, for example, put the moving-spell over this whole place. My own father apparently enchanted the city so that it would fit anywhere. That's why this huge city can fit on this mountaintop."

"It's no wonder dragons were one of the four most powerful clans," Malik said and dared touch one of the pictures with a single finger. "Come to think of it… you could have taken over the world if you wanted, what with all your magic, right?"

"Magic is not the answer to everything; the witch masters and mages were equal to us in power," Seto disagreed. "No, if there was any kind we should have feared, it was the humans. Greed and cleverness can be far more dangerous than magic, I tell you. Not to mention the lack of honour."

Joey felt like someone had shot a small bout of electricity up his spine, and feelings of anger and… _hurt_ welled up inside of him. Was that really all Seto saw in humans? In _him_? Joey had been under the impression that he had changed Seto's view of his kind, but maybe he had been wrong. Maybe Seto hadn't changed at all, despite what everyone thought- Joey included.

But as Joey glanced at Seto, his doubts started to grow weaker again. Seto didn't even look like he had been aware that Joey was present. His eyes were somewhat empty, zoned out, as if he wasn't even aware of anything around him. As if he was running on auto-pilot. Joey's hurt and doubt were quickly replaced by worry. Something was wrong. Maybe if he could get Seto alone…?

"Come on, Joey; let's go check out the first pictures Seto was talking about," Mokuba's voice suddenly penetrated his thoughts. "To see our creation… that'd be awesome! Let's go!"

"Oh… you go ahead, guys," Joey said when he saw that Ryou, Yugi and Malik were about to follow Mokuba. (And of course the wolf, the hawk, and the werewolf followed them.) His chance to talk to Seto might come a lot sooner than he thought…

Mokuba shrugged and bounced off with the others following quickly behind. As soon as they were far enough away, Joey turned to Seto with a determined look.

"Okay, what the hell is wrong with you?!"

Seto only regarded him coolly for a moment before turning and walking in the opposite direction of the rest of the gang. More than a little put out, Joey ran after him.

"Hey!" He called angrily. "I'm talking to you, Seto! Don't you walk away from me! Damn it, Seto, I'm getting seriously ticked off here! You better answer me!"

Still not a sound form the dragon and Joey grew even more frustrated. He was getting flashbacks from his first time in the cave, when Seto had either ignored or made fun of him. Damnit, but he didn't want to go back to that!

"What is your problem, lizard-boy?! You're acting all weird and distant and shit, and when I want an explanation you _ignore_ me?! I'm not gonna take that! If you don't answer me soon, Seto, I'll… I'll… I'll do something extremely stupid! And don't think I won't do it! You know I will!"

Still Seto kept walking silently, with his eyes fixed on the wall, scanning every picture they passed. Joey was growing tired of running after him.

But just as he was considering something extreme to make Seto notice him, the dragon stopped right in front of one particularly painting. It was a picture of the four copper tables Joey had read so many stories about, and behind each table a figure was standing. One dragon, one woman, and two men. All four had a hand stretched towards the sky, and held a golden star in the palm. Joey thought this must be a picture of the very first union. Not the one where Seto's dad and Yami had been cursed, but the one which happened a thousand years before that: the one where all four leaders of the clans swore peace and honesty towards one another.

"This is it," Seto said with his eyes fixed on the painting.

"Huh?" Joey asked, confused and surprised.

"This is where I got into my very first fight," Seto explained. "I was even younger than Mokuba then… it was with one of the other draklings… Noah; my arch-nemesis. He said something… I don't remember what, and I just jumped him. Our friend Kisara ran and got my father, and he yelled at the two of us for fifteen minutes."

He ripped his gaze from the picture, and instead turned it down the hall.

"A few meters further down I crashed after my first successful flight. I was trying to land smoothly, but ended up slamming straight into one of father's counsellors instead. Another scolding followed, of course. Noah teased me endlessly for weeks after that. Come to think of it… I even think that is _why_ we got into that fight."

The air just completely _left_ Joey. He didn't know what to say to that. He suddenly felt very stupid, that he hadn't managed to figure it out on his own. This was Seto's Domino: it was probably swarming with memories from his childhood.

A childhood which had ended far too early, and painfully.

"Oh," was all Joey could think of to say.

"I didn't really want to come back here," Seto explained indifferently. "Mostly, I was afraid that this would bring back painful memories for Mokuba, but he doesn't seem to remember anything at all… He must have been even younger than I remember… and now I can't help but remember every single little thing which I went through in this city. When I was young I believed I would spend the rest of my existence here… that I would take over the throne, marry Kisara, have children, fight with Noah and rule the clan like all my ancestors before me. It never even _occurred_ to me that fate might have something else in store for me. Not even when father intensified my training… not even when all babies started being still-born… not even when our number was reduced so quickly… not even when father cried at night in the arms of my mother… never."

Joey swallowed the knot in his throat. He wanted to say something. _Anything_! But what the hell was he supposed to say?! He simply couldn't think of anything! And Seto just went on…

"And then one day father just took me and Mokuba and mother with him and flew. Far, far away, so far I almost started to think we would never turn back. But we came to the mountain, to the cave, landed, and he showed me around. I still didn't understand anything. He told me about all the magical barriers and how I could keep them up, he showed me all the rooms, explained about the people in the little village at the foot of the mountain… and then, at last, he and mother took me in their arms and held on like it was the end of the world. And while mother did the same with Mokuba, father_ looked _at me in a way I had never seen before. Then he made me _swear_, on my very life, that I would never kill unless necessary and I would do anything to protect Mokuba. Then they just… left me there, with my baby-brother clinging to me in his sleep. I just watched them fly off into the sunset, and I _still. Didn't. Get. Anything._"

_Stop… please, Seto, don't do this to yourself… _

"Ten years later I found out my whole clan had been extinguished."

Complete silence. Joey was shaking, and he didn't know why. Why had Seto told him this? Why was he so heavily affected when the dragon seemed so painfully indifferent? Why didn't he know what to say? Why did it feel so important that he said _something_? Why had he even asked to begin with? Why… just why?

In the end, he simply took a few steps forward to stand in front of the dragon. His eyes met Seto's for a moment, then Joey gave a heavy sigh, stepped in even closer, and leaned his forehead against one of Seto's scale-covered arms.

"Seto…" he breathed and closed his eyes, revelling in the strange warmth radiating from the large body. "Seto…"

After a moment, he felt a gentle claw touch the tip of his head and slide through his hair. Then Seto sighed too. It sounded a little shaky.

"Thank you," he muttered softly.

* * *

They didn't know how long they stayed like that, but the moment was broken as Mokuba's cheerful voice travelled to them from further of the pillar-hall. They barely had time to step away from each other before the black bounce-ball disguised as a dragon came zooming their way, clearly very excited.

"Big brother! Joey!" He cried happily. "Come with me! Look what we found!"

But what Mokuba wanted to show them wasn't really something you 'found'. It was more something you simply _couldn't miss_! Strangely enough, Joey _had_ missed it while he had been chasing Seto only a little while earlier- a fact he was almost ashamed of.

It was the huge pillar he had seen from the air; the one with the castle at the top. This close, it was obvious that it wasn't really built _in _the temple, but a few metres in front of it, on a big yard covered in ivory and statues. It cast a big part of the city in shadow in all its greatness, and had beautiful patterns engraved into it, much like the house-walls they had seen before in the city. Joey leaned his head back as far as he could, but still had to take a few steps back to see the top.

"And what use does this monster have?" Yami asked from Yugi's shoulder, just as awed as the rest of them.

"The dragon lord's castle stands on the top," Seto said. "I was born and grew up there."

"Ego, much?" Joey asked and shot him a grin. Seto shot him an amused look in return, and Joey realized that the dragon felt better now. Somehow, their little moment had helped him, though Joey for the life of him couldn't figure out why. He hadn't done anything!

"Can we go up there?" Mokuba asked, eyes sparkling.

"There are no stairs, so we will have to fly," Seto said. "But I don't see why we couldn't."

"That means you will have to fly again, 'Kura," Ryou said with a teasing smile. "Bakura?"

The magical wolf didn't answer. He was studying the pillar closely, with a thoughtful look on his face, and after a moment, a grin spread over his lips, making sharp fangs sparkle.

"I can run up that thing."

"What?!" Ryou exclaimed disbelievingly. "Bakura, that thing is huge! Not to mention _tall_! And shooting straight up."

"If I can run for miles in one day, I can take this thing. And the patterns will make it easier to get a grip with my feet. All I'll need is enough speed. It'll be easy."

"But Bakura-"

"I'll even carry you."

"_WHAT_?!"

"I'll give it a try," Bakura decided and glanced at Marik. "Bet I can get up there faster than you."

"You shouldn't make bets you're sure to loose," Marik told him with a manic grin in return. Then his expression turned thoughtful for a moment. "But it won't be fair if you have an extra weight and I don't. Hmmm…"

His eyes flickered to Malik for a moment, and before anyone could blink, he had grabbed the other blond and slung him over his shoulder.

"Ready, set, _GO_!" He shouted happily and shot off with all the strength his legs could muster, Malik screaming bloody murderer from his shoulder. The younger man quickly shut up though, when Marik's feet collided with the pillar and he started running at top speed straight up. He just held on for dear life instead.

Bakura quickly snatched Ryou, completely ignoring his protests, and took off after his companion.

"Don't worry, Ryou and Malik!" Yugi called after them, amusement colouring his words. "If they fall, we promise to catch you!"

"They're like a bunch of rabid apes you have to look after," Seto sighed and automatically leaned down to let Joey climb onto his back. The blond only laughed and got settled on him.

"You know you like it."

"Sadly… I do."

They did keep the promise Yugi had made. Seto flew closely under Bakura, to make sure he didn't drop his cargo, (not that it was likely that he would) and Yami did the same with Marik. The two wolf-like creatures ended up reaching the top at almost the same time, both panting and tired, but grinning like the maniacs they were. Ryou slid out of Bakura's arms slowly, since he was far too weak in the knees to stand on his own. Malik, on the other hand, squirmed out of Marik's grip as soon as he could, glared at him and quickly delivered a hard punch to his cheek.

"How dare you?!" He yelled, red-faced in rage. "You could have _killed_ me!"

Marik simply held his sore cheek and grinned widely.

"You're not ignoring me anymore," he sounded and looked unbelievably smug.

Malik, looking ready to pass out in fury, opened his mouth to answer when Seto landed heavily beside the two, making them jump in surprise.

"That's enough," he said calmly. "Show respect in my ancestors' halls."

Malik immediately closed his mouth and nodded, while Marik mostly looked annoyed.

Having solved that little dispute, Seto lowered himself and let Joey slide off again. Joey then took a step back to admire the sight before him. They were standing on what looked like a small yard right in front of the castle-door. The huge, dark, oak-door which Joey was sure he'd never be able to open. And not only because it looked so heavy. It also had a giant silver lock on it, the size of Joey himself.

Seto didn't seem bothered though, because he took a step toward it and simply said:

"I am Seto, son of Mordechai, the last dragon lord. This castle was my home, and I demand free passage for me and my companions."

And just like that the lock clicked and the door slid open without a single sound. Joey had to admit that he was impressed.

"Cool!" Mokuba said, and Joey wondered when that giant smile would split his face. He _had_ been wearing it for quite some time now. "Can I do that too?"

"Anyone can walk in, as long as you tell the truth and don't have any evil intentions."

"Interesting," Yami said. "So if I said 'I am Yami, a friend of Seto, and I demand entrance', it would let me in."

Seto nodded.

"What if I say 'I am Marik, a werewolf, and I've come here to screw Malik on any horizontal surface I can find'? Would it let me in then?" Marik asked gleefully.

While Malik turned beet-red in anger, Seto raised an eyebrow at him.

"I think that is up to the gate," he said evenly and turned to walk inside. "And watch your language around my brother."

Joey couldn't help but snicker as he followed, as did Bakura and even Yugi. Yami was suppressing a smile, Ryou was turning red from the effort not to laugh, Mokuba looked a little confused, and Marik was still grinning.

The first room inside the castle was a huge, circular entrance-hall in gold and marble, with floors so clean you could see your own reflection clearly, and a roof made completely out of glass. Everywhere around them golden stairs went off in different directions; some, Seto explained, leading to the kitchen, some to the ball-room, and some leading to the second floor and towers. Joey was completely awed as Seto led them towards and up one of the biggest stairs, which would lead them to the east wing.

At the end of the stairs was a long, large corridor with a red silk-carpet covering the floor, and the walls filled with paintings in natural size.

"All the dragon lords and their mates can be found here," Seto explained as he walked down the corridor with all of them trailing behind. He nodded at one of the first paintings, of a black dragon and its emerald partner. "My great-great grandfather and his mate."

"They're both male," Ryou stated after a closer look.

"It has always been quite normal for us dragons to marry members of our own sex if we deem them worthy. Love isn't about gender, after all," Seto said, and for some reason those words made Joey warm on the inside.

They passed many, many more paintings, and now and then Seto nodded to one and explained who were on the picture. Joey saw Seto's own parents on one painting, but the white dragon simply walked right passed that one without sparing it a single glance. Joey felt sorry for him, but on some level understood why he did it.

Then they came to the last painting in the entire corridor, and Joey stopped dead, making Ryou bump into him from behind.

The last painting was of two grown white dragons. One of them was unmistakably Seto; the other was a slender female with eyes just as blue as Seto's, only less sharp and gentler. She was so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. They could have been twins, if it hadn't been for the way she leaned into Seto. It made them look like a couple.

Joey's stomach started making strange, very unpleasant flops and his brain was flooded with questions.

What was this? Who was _she_?! Hadn't Seto left the city when he was a kid? What did this mean? Had Seto been _in love _with this dragon-girl? If so, did he still think of her? Had Joey just imagined the chemistry between them? Maybe Seto didn't even _like_ guys that way! And even if he did, why the hell would he feel _anything_ for Joey?! Joey was a human, and Seto didn't like humans! How could he have been so stupid?!

"What the hell… that's _you_!" Bakura exclaimed.

"Ah," Seto's cool voice answered, snapping Joey out of it. "That is…_ was_ Kisara, a childhood friend. My father… always envisioned her to be my future wife. So much so that he let this be painted long before I even knew what 'wife' meant."

Then Seto turned to leave, expecting them to follow, which they of course did.

He had spoken so casually- as if it wasn't at all important (and to the others it probably wasn't) but Joey still couldn't get rid of that stupid feeling in the pit of his stomach. His thoughts were tumbling over one another in his head… He didn't feel so well anymore.

A childhood friend. That's all she had been.

But that wasn't just it! Joey knew what happened between childhood friends- had had first hand experience with Tristan and Duke- and she had been so very _beautiful_… not to mention Seto's _kind_! Joey simply couldn't compete with that! He was just a no-good human who Seto hadn't known for more than a couple of months and fought with all the time. There was no comparison.

_Oh, snap out of it, you drama-queen!_ A voice suspiciously like Mai's scolded in his head. _Even if there WAS something going on there, she's long gone. You're the 'NOW' for him!_

But Joey knew full well that love didn't just die because one part died. He'd seen it with his own mother… knew something like that could etch itself into you and never let go. If that was the case with Seto… if he still loved and thought of her after hundreds of years… then Joey's chances were equal to zero.

For the second time in less than five minutes, Joey stopped dead, making Ryou, once again, run into him.

What the hell was he thinking!

_Chances with Seto?! _Since when did he want to have _chances with Seto_?! He was trying to _gain his trust_, so he could go _home_! _NOT _get himself a boyfriend! And if Seto was mooning for some stupid dead childhood friend, then he didn't give a rat's ass!

And yet the thought of her with him made Joey want to puke.

"Joey!"

He jumped and turned to stare at Ryou, who was looking at him with a worried frown on his face.

"Are you okay? That's the second time you just stop, and you looked completely zoned out. What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh... nothing at all, Ryou. Just had some things on my mind, don't worry about it."

Ryou didn't look convinced at all, but he simply shot him another bewildered look and walked past him, determined to not bump into Joey anymore. With a heavy sigh, the blonde pushed the thoughts of Seto's love-life out of his mind and followed.

Why did everything have to be so complicated?

* * *

Since it was pretty late already and everyone _except_ Mokuba was tired, Seto showed them a few rooms where they could sleep in huge, soft, _perfect_ beds! Yami and Yugi, Ryou and Bakura, Seto and Mokuba, Joey and Malik shared rooms, and Marik, who refused to sleep with anyone but Malik, slept alone. Didn't make much of a difference though, because Joey still found him curled up beside a dead-to-the world Malik the next morning, although the werewolf swore that he hadn't done anything but sleep all night.

The next day, the older dragon gave them a throughout tour of the whole place. He showed them the kitchens, dining-rooms, ball-room (absolutely magnificent), towers, play-room, libraries, offices, meeting-rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, corridors and even a small but beautiful garden. Then Joey, Yugi, Ryou, Bakura and Mokuba went down to the city to explore even more, while Yami, Seto, Malik and Marik stayed behind to see if they could find anything in the libraries about the curse. (Marik stayed simply because Malik did, but no one was surprised by _that_.)

The day went by extremely quickly, and soon they were all back in the castle for their second night spent in the city, everyone tired and fairly satisfied. They ate dinner, (caught by Yami on a small trip outside the city) and went to bed pretty late.

But Joey couldn't sleep. He was tried and wanted to sleep, but simply couldn't. His mind was restless for some reason, and his body was itching. His instinct was telling him that something was _wrong_… that something bad was going to happen, and after a lot of tossing and turning he finally sat up, slid out of bed and left the room, leaving a sleeping Malik behind. He had to unlock the door to get out, since Malik had been adamant about it being locked to keep Marik out.

The moment he stepped outside though, he caught sight of the werewolf sitting on the floor right beside the door.

"You're really a pain in the ass," he stated as glowing violet eyes fixed on him. "I'm just glad it's not _me _you're stalking."

"I've got better taste than that," Marik shot back, and nodded at the door. "He asleep?"

"Like a baby."

"Good."

He stood up and walked inside, and Joey didn't try to stop him. He knew it was a lost cause.

"Maybe you should ease up on the courting a little," he said as the werewolf passed, wanting to make _some_ kind of effort. "This isn't getting you anywhere."

"No," Marik said and stopped to look at him; for once his eyes were completely serious. "He needs this."

Then the door slid shut in Joey's face. Shrugging, the blond turned around and walked away. Malik was a big boy; he could take care of himself.

With one hand resting on the hilt of his silver sword, Joey made his was down the corridor. He really wasn't at home here yet, but he knew the library was a few doors down to the left. He didn't know why he'd decided to go there, but he had, and who was he to question his own logic?

When he opened the door and slid inside, he knew exactly why his steps had brought him there.

Seto was lying on a bed of pillows, just like he used to do at home, with an open book in front of him, scanning the words carefully. Joey couldn't help but smile at his devotion.

"Still up at this hour?"

Blue eyes flickered to him, then back to the book.

"I still have so many books to go through. Can't leave anything, you never know when you will make a breakthrough. Every little detail is important."

"And how much have you found in all these hours of research."

"…Nothing."

Joey sighed and plopped down on a pillow beside Seto. All the pillows here were huge, and fit at least five people in them. The library was also much bigger than the one back home in the cave; with a roof so high you almost couldn't see it. A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, and all the walls, from top to bottom, were covered in book-shelves. There was a huge square window on one wall, which gave a magnificent view of the city. It was beautiful, but at the same time cold, completely devoid of any of the cosy details in the cave.

"Maybe you should take a break," he said softly and looked at the dragon. Seto _did_ look tired, and considering the hour, it was no surprise.

"We will only be staying here for maybe a day or two more. I need all the time I can get." He glanced at Joey again. "What about you? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I had this feeling…" Joey answered slowly. He didn't feel uneasy at all anymore… as a matter of fact, that feeling had disappeared the moment he'd stepped into the room, and now he felt a little stupid that he'd let something so trivial drive him out of bed. "But never mind. It's just stupid."

"Feeling?" Seto asked and blinked at him. "I know what you mean. I feel it too."

"You _do_?"

"Yes. It's all the magic in this city. Even if my kind is gone, the ancient spells and curses still linger here. I think we all feel it, but Yami, Yugi, Bakura, Ryou, Malik and Mokuba are all more used to it than you. And seeing as Marik is cursed himself, he probably doesn't feel any different."

"Oh," Joey said and looked down at his hands, letting shaggy golden locks fall in his eyes. "Yeah… that makes sense…"

Seto nodded and went back to his book. They stayed in that comfortable silence for a while, Joey just watching Seto read his books. Unbidden, the thoughts from before came back, the ones about Seto and that Kisara-girl. The feeling in his stomach returned, and Joey fell back against the pillow with a sigh.

He didn't want to feel like this. It really was none of his business what went on in Seto's head, but at the same time… it bothered him.

Joey wasn't stupid…. Okay, so he _was_ a little stupid, but he knew himself. He knew he cared for Seto, knew there was something there between them that he'd never felt before. He knew that despite Seto's personality, and quirks, and holier-than-thou attitude, he _enjoyed_ the dragon's company. More than enjoyed it. It had gone so far he even _craved_ it sometimes! Why else would he leave his own bed at night and walk right to the place where Seto was?

So yeah, Joey knew he liked Seto. But this feeling… this feeling that he didn't _want_ Seto to be with Kisara, even if he knew it might make Seto happy… he didn't understand why he felt that way! Joey had never, ever judged a person before meeting them. He'd always been proud of his non-judgemental personality. But that dragon-girl… he _really_ didn't like her! And they had never even met!

Maybe… maybe it wasn't really _her_ he disliked. Maybe it was more the facts about her… she had known Seto when he was a kid… she'd seen how he was before he became so… cold. She was the same kind as him… she would have been able to do things with Seto that Joey never could.

For example: Joey had to ride on Seto's back. _She_ would have been able to fly beside him!

And then there were… _other _things…

Suddenly Joey realized where his thoughts were leading him, and he blushed furiously, coughed and looked away.

"What is it?"

"Huh?"

Seto was watching him.

"You looked completely zoned out, as if you had something on your mind, then suddenly you went all flushed and embarrassed. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing!" Damn, that came out way too fast!

"That answer came out a little too fast!"

_I knew it!_

"Look… it's nothing… just thinking."

"Wow, be still my beating heart. That doesn't happen every day."

"Shut up!"

"You made me spill my thoughts, now I think you should repay the favour."

Joey was completely taken aback by that, and stared at him for a moment.

"What?"

"Yesterday, when you asked me what was wrong with me, I told you without protest. Now I think you should do the same."

"It doesn't work like that!"

"Give and take, human. So spill."

Those blue eyes were fixed on him like red-hot drills, and Joey found himself sighing and obeying.

"Okay, I'll tell you." _Question was how_!

"Good."

"Well, y'see, the thing is… I… um… you know… yesterday when… eeh… I was thinking… that is… would you…"

"Joey, I have a lot of books to read."

"Shut up! You're the one who wanted to hear, so don't pressure me! This is hard, okay?!"

Seto looked at him disbelievingly.

"You don't think spilling my thoughts and emotions to you like I did yesterday was _hard_?"

"What?! No! Of course not! I just meant… ah, shit!" Joey closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths and tried again. "Okay, here's the deal… do you… do you ever wish… that you'd never had to leave? That you could have stayed here… become king… _gotten_ _married_… all that stuff?"

It wasn't really what he'd been thinking of, but it was close enough to the truth to _not_ be a lie. Seto looked at him with those unreadable blue eyes, and Joey gulped. He hoped the dragon would fall for it.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I do. I wish that every day."

"Oh," Joey said, almost crestfallenly, and wondered why he felt so hurt.

"I wish that my clan had never been killed off. What kind of dragon would I be otherwise? And yes, it would have been nice to stay and follow the path set out for me. What would you feel like if your home and everyone you knew had been killed, Joey?"

"I'm sorry," Joey said quickly. Damnit, that wasn't what he'd meant! "I didn't mean… it was a stupid question… all I'm trying to say is that… I know you've been through _a lot_ in your life, and that it's never been easy what with the war and curse and everything… and you've always had to fight… but… but I can't help but be… _glad_, somehow… that all that happened."

"Joey, that sounds terrible."

"I know, I know! And that's not what I meant. All I'm saying is that… even if this journey has been hard for you… I'm thankful that you made it, because it's made you this really awesome guy, and yet _not_, cause you're an asshole, and you know that cause I tell you often enough… but you're okay, really… More than okay, because you take such good care of Mokuba and even if you're a jerk you take good care of me too, and I've kinda come to like the cave and all, cause you've made it home, and I'm _not_ saying I'll stay, just that you're really nothing like I thought you were at first and-"

"You're blabbering, Joey."

"_I know, I know_! I keep getting off track! Anyway, what I'm _trying to say_ is that… that even if you've been through hell, I'm glad you made it this far… because it gave me the chance to meet you."

Finally, having made his point, Joey looked up at Seto with a small smile and a light blush on his cheeks. Unbeknownst to the blond, the dragon's heart made a funny little lurch.

"Yeah… that's what I'm trying to say… I'm happy I met you."

They just stared at each other for a long while, unable to take their eyes away. A deep, deep want to be closer to Seto was welling up inside Joey. He felt like his chest was full of cotton, and his fingers were itching to reach out and pat those warm, smooth scales.

But before he could do anything, Seto cocked his head to the side and _smirked_.

"Like a kid with his first crush," he said softly, and Joey felt his face heat up like a raging fire. Quickly he looked away, glaring out the window instead.

"Shut up!"

"You love me, don't you, Joey?"

"I said _shut up_, asshole!"

"It's true! Soon you'll be singing your soul out to some heartbreaking melody. I can hear it already: 'oh, my heart is breaking from this impossible love of mine!'. It will be a bestseller for sure."

"I don't have to take this," Joey said and stood up, feeling humiliated to the very tip of his toes. "I'm going to bed."

"Already? I though you would want to bask in my glow for a little while longer, as besotted as you are."

"I'll kill you in your sleep!"

"Or just stand beside the bed, gazing upon my beauty for hours on end until the sun comes up!"

"_Argh_!" Flushed from both anger and embarrassment now, Joey stormed towards the door. But just as he yanked it open, Seto chuckled in amusement, and said:

"You know I wouldn't ask you to stay with me if I didn't feel the same."

And just like that, _just like that_, Joey went from raging fire to melted goo. His blush intensified, and a warm, pleasant feeling filled his chest and knotted in his throat. He just wanted to go back over there and _hug_ Seto, but instead he gripped the door handle tighter, swallowed and choked out:

"Shut up," before marching out and closing the door firmly.

Stupid Seto. _Stupid, stupid Seto_! Once a bastard, always a bastard! What the hell was that?! Joey had _never _felt like that before, but he was pretty sure he shouldn't have been feeling that for _Seto_!

Yes, he knew that he cared for Seto, but to walk around feeling like a lovesick fool over one simple comment was _unacceptable_! He wasn't a little girl, after all! He was a guy, no; a _man_! He was a decent fighter, a prince, a future _king_ even! He couldn't go around getting all weak in the knees over some stupid dragon! What would Tristan have said if he saw him now?! Nothing, probably. He'd be too busy laughing his ass off!

Great. Just fucking _brilliant_!

God, he hated his life!

"Too busy thinking about your dragon to pay attention?"

Joey jumped and spun around with wide eyes and a wildly beating heart.

He got a glimpse of ruby eyes before something collided with his temple and everything went dark.

* * *

Joey awoke a while later, unable to move and with a raging headache. He groaned softly and opened his eyes, only to have them assaulted by way too strong light. He quickly closed them again. After a few moments he tried to open them again, this time much slower, giving them a chance to adjust to the bright light.

It took him a minute or two to finally regain his sight, and with that came his senses, it seemed. At the same time as Joey blinked his eyes completely open, he realized that he was lying on a balcony, high, high above Tangea, and the light came from the morning sun making its entrance. As he tried to move, he realized that something was restricting his arms painfully behind his back.

He squirmed a little, (only a little, because his whole body hurt: it felt like he'd been lying on a cold stone-floor all night) and determined that that 'something' was a thick rope which was chafing his wrists. Another squirm, and he found out his legs were restricted in the same fashion. The next thing he noticed was that an ill-tasting rag had been stuck in his mouth and bound tightly around his head, keeping him from making anything but muffled groans.

Feeling confusion and fear well up inside him, Joey finally noticed the –probably- most important thing.

He was dressed in nothing but his underwear.

Swallowing thickly, Joey made a quick summary in his head.

He was lying bound, gagged and almost naked on the floor, his body felt like nothing more than a big bruise, and he was without any weapons or knowledge of how he ended up there.

No matter what way he looked at it, _this wasn't good_!

"You're up with the sun, I see," a hoarse voice rasped from above him. "What a way to wake up, huh?"

Joey froze completely for a moment, then slowly, so very slowly, turned around and looked up to where the voice had come from. The face grinning back down at him was burnt almost beyond recognition, but Joey saw the eyes which had appeared in his dreams often enough.

Anubis; former leader of the werewolf-pack and a ghost from Joey's nightmares, gave him a terrible smile, barely recognizable between lips which had literally _melted_ off his face.

"I'm back, beautiful."

**I know you're gonna be mad at me, Deme. I'M SORRY!! TT.TT **

**Don't have much to say today. Summer's come to Sweden, so I've been spending my free-time (the little I have with that darn job! Why am I so eager to keep it again?!) on the beach and with my friends. That's why it's taken so long this time. **

**I actually have NO IDEA how long it'll take to get next chapter done, since I'm not entirely sure how it'll go myself… I guess I'll do what I do best: improvise!**

**But you know; I'll need A LOT of reviews to do that… Improvising is tough work! So I EXPECT A LOT OF REVIEWS FOR THIS DARN CHAPTER! DON'T DISAPPOINT YOUR AUTHORESS! SHE NEEDS IT! **

**Anyway… thanks to… **

**Deme, Dragonlady222,**** Girlof1000NickNames, pennypigeon, journey maker, mandapandabug, casaragi, Silver Hunteress, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Tori-chan, ONIX-21, Kristen Hiwatari, Nora D, Cobweb Cupcakes, Misster Cackles, rubisora18117, Purple Sox, Hi Kitsune, RinkyPink, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, tommy2.0, Iruweenie, Reincarnated Rat, Melipapaya, Kitty Kat2009, S.A.M.Thedragongirl, FiveForChibis, firedraygon, Flying on a Broken Wing, Kenzie Jadenwie and ylc**

…**for leaving such nice reviews, as usual! You make my world spin!**

**Oh, and I almost forgot: **

**ONIX-21 HAD MADE ME A FANART!! THANK YOU, ONIX!! IT IS SOOOO BEAUTIFUL! PLEASE, GO CHECK IT OUT! **

**lady-saber-123DOTdeviantartDOTcom/art/Dragon-Seto-and-Joey-92457742**

**DON'T FORGET: YOU'LL HAVE TO ADD DOTS IN THE PLACES I'VE MARKED!! **

**Hm, looks like I had things to say after all! Oh well; stay safe until next chapter!**

**R&R!!**


	21. Creature of sins

Chapter twenty: Creature of sins

"I've waited so long for this moment," Anubis rasped, and reached out a skinless hand to touch Joey's cheek. The blond recoiled violently, throwing himself backwards as well as he could in his restricted condition; terrified, disbelieving eyes fixed on this monster.

"I've been watching you… every word… every move… it's been torture far worse than this body; not being able to touch you. And then watching that oversized lizard do it instead… but my patience have paid off… you're all mine now."

Joey didn't hear a single word he said. He was far too busy with the billions of questions flying through his head like bullets. His stomach was nothing but one giant knot, his throat so constricted he couldn't breathe, and the rest of him was frozen over, unable to move a single muscle. The only part of him which seemed to work was his heart, beating away like mad in his chest. Perhaps it had realized its time would soon be out, and it wanted to make up for all the beats it would miss.

How could Anubis be back?! Better yet: _how could he be alive_?! He should have died in that cave along with the rest of the werewolf-clan. Seto had told him he'd toasted Anubis himself! He should be DEAD!

But apparently, he wasn't. He was burnt, broken, insane- a shadow of his former self- but he was _here_, and in the end, that was all that mattered. Although Joey had to admit, he would have preferred the Anubis from before. This was so much worse, in so many ways.

The werewolf he remembered was completely gone. This monster had no skin; only huge, black burns and wounds, which didn't even look like they were healing, covering his whole body. Flesh, muscles and tendons were clearly visible, since all he wore was a piece of clothing over his crotch. He looked so thin and bent; Joey remembered he'd been two metres tall before, with swelling muscles: now he was nothing but a freak. He was bald: all hair had been burnt off, and his ears, nose, eyebrows and lips were gone. His head looked like some kind of meaty, sick, grey ball with a pair of empty, insane eyes on it.

And yet, it could be no one else. The voice, although hoarse, was definitely the same, as were the eyes.

"You are probably wondering how I'm alive," Anubis said, and for the first time, Joey heard his words. His questions must have been showing in his eyes, because Anubis grinned (it looked disgusting on that face) and sat down on the balcony-rail.

"I was _so_ close to getting you," he began. "I remember it all… you, writhing in my hands, blood leaking from your mouth as you gasped for breath; on the brink of death… gods, you looked delicious!" He licked himself around the mouth at the memory, and Joey choked in disgust.

"I was just about to have you too, and then that cursed dragon interfered. His fire was so hot… oh gods, how hot it was… I knew I was going to die… but destiny must have been on my side, because I found the underground lake, and the water did wonders to my burnt body. Or it kept me alive, at least. It killed the fire, and even if my body was burnt beyond recognition, it hadn't managed to take my life yet. I must have passed out from the pain, because when I woke up I was lying on the edge of the lake, with the bodies of my dead pack-mates everywhere around me."

He paused and took a few deep, wet-sounding breaths.

"Forgive me," he said as if they were discussing the weather. "There are a few serious flaws in my body these days. Talking is a major effort for me, and now I haven't done it in so long. It makes me breathless, which is strange, since I can still run for miles and my strength is still there.

But I digress; as I was saying, I woke up in the cave, -which your little friends had sealed up, by the way- completely alone, and severely injured. Luckily, the dragon's fire seemed to have sealed up the wound you inflicted with your sword, so I didn't have to worry about bleeding to death. I rested for a few days to regain my strength, eating the dead bodies so that I wouldn't starve, and when the time came, I dug myself out of the cave. Not an easy feat, I tell you."

Joey, lying there on the floor, listened closely to all he said. He could barely believe the things Anubis told him, and yet he didn't feel an ounce of pity for him. Only disgust, hatred, and –he hated to admit it- fear.

"As soon as I was out, I started looking for you. I knew I had to find you: all that mattered was that I found you. You were the reason for my pack's destruction, as well as the reason I was alive; you were the key to everything. The darkness told me to find you. The darkness had saved me in the cave: it gave me strength I didn't know I had, and told me about you. Told me you were important. It had saved me and helped me so much, what could I do but listen? I knew it had to be right."

He gave a laugh which sounded sickly, before continuing:

"My senses, it seemed, were pretty intact- thanks to the darkness, no doubt. All I had to do was follow your smell, and soon, I found the village you lived in. But I was hurt, weak, and there were some pretty powerful creatures in that village, so I hid myself in the shadows, always careful so that no one would see me or smell me. And lounging there in the shadows, I watched you. You and that dragon of yours. Because he is yours, isn't he?" Here, Anubis' eyes darkened to almost black, and Joey felt his fear reach new heights.

"I saw it, don't think I didn't! The way you started looking at him after a while. I saw you talk, and fight, and sometimes laugh together. I even saw when he took you on his back to fly… that felt romantic, didn't it? You looked like you were in heaven…"

Anubis slid off the balcony-rail and crouched down beside Joey, pulling his skin-less hand through blond locks of hair. Joey wanted to puke at the touch.

"_That_, if anything, was torture. You are _mine_! He had no right to touch you! But it's okay; he'll never touch you again. I'll take you far, far away from him. They will look, and worry, and mourn you, but never find you. I'll make sure they don't. You'll see."

The strangest thing of all was that he sounded like he wanted to comfort Joey. As if he was assuring Joey he would take care of everything. That hand slid from Joey's hair to caress his neck.

"I waited… for so long… for the right moment to take you. But you were never alone… always surrounded by them, and even at night you were locked away in that mountain, and I didn't dare go up there. Then… then that new boy came along. The one which looks so much like my brat of a half-brother. The one he wants to fuck. And I overheard you all talking about going here… finding this place. I realized that this might be my chance to get you; I had to follow."

The hand found his face again, but when Joey once again tried to scoot away, Anubis scowled and gave an irritated little sound. He reached out with his other hand and gripped Joey's hair firmly, effectively keeping him from squirming as the other hand slid over his cheeks, lips, nose, eyebrows and forehead.

"Unfortunately, I fell behind. You were a lot faster than me, and I was unable to keep up. All I could do was follow your smell and hope that I would be able to catch up once you stopped. But it wasn't easy… especially not once I came to the ocean. I knew you were crossing it; I still felt your smell in the air. Therefore I had no choice but to swim. It was painful: the salt stung my burns, but at the same time, the cold water soothed the burning. You see, even now, I'm in terrible pain from all these wounds. But I'm a werewolf: that curse keeps me alive. Well… that, and the darkness, of course. Without it, I would be dead."

He smiled almost happily.

"So I swam for a long time. It's harder to swim than to run, I tell you, with currents pulling at you, and those stupid fish taking small bites of me every now and then. It's irritating! That's why I was so happy once I came across a small boat. The fisherman in it plucked me out of the water, and then tried to throw me in again once he realized I was alive. He was a great dinner, I tell you. I hadn't eaten in days, so it was a welcome surprise. And I kept his wife and three kids as food for the journey while I took over the boat and sailed in the direction your smell lead me."

Joey couldn't take his eyes of this monster which had followed him for so long, murdered and eaten a whole family and now was sitting in front of him, talking about it like you talk about the weather. He sounded as if what he had done, what he was still doing, was perfectly normal.

"I lost track of you on one occasion. That fucking storm was a major problem, but once the boat reached land it didn't take me too long to find the trail again. I was really lucky; you and your gang must've stopped for a little while longer somewhere, giving me the chance to catch up. The rest of the way here was a fruitcake. I just arrived tonight, or should I say _yesterday_-night, and here you were! On your way somewhere, completely caught up in your thoughts… it was so easy to sneak up behind you and knock you out. And now… now you're mine!"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned at Joey again. His hand was still caressing the blonde's face.

"That's it, I think. My story. Any questions?"

Joey just kept staring at him with big eyes, and a after a moment, Anubis slapped his own forehead and gave an amused laugh.

"Oh, silly me! You can't ask questions with a rag in your mouth, now can you? But if you can promise not to scream -no one will hear you anyway- I will take the gag off. You think you can do that?"

Joey thought about it for a moment, then nodded slowly. He figured that if he could at least speak, he wasn't completely helpless. The fire had taken more than just Anubis' face and skin: it had taken what little sanity he had possessed as well. And insane people are impulsive. Maybe… maybe Joey could _say_ something to him… anything…

But as Anubis fiddled with the knot and pulled the rag out of his mouth, Joey knew he really _had _a few more questions to ask first:

"What do you want?!" He snarled. "Revenge?"

Anubis looked sincerely surprised for a moment. Then he gave a short, sickly laugh, and bent down so that his face was close to Joey's.

"What I want, beautiful?" He whispered. "Isn't it obvious? I want _you_. I want a new start. I want you to give me children; I want you as my breeder! Together, we will create a new pack, stronger and better than ever before! Can't you imagine it already: sons… daughters… all of them just as golden and strong and beautiful! And everyone loyal to me; their father, their _god_! With a pack like that… I can take over the _world_! And you'll be by my side all the time, of course. You'll be there to let me fuck you and give birth to my children." His smile was terrible and pure evil. "It's only fair: you destroyed me… now you get to build me back up again."

And then he took Joey's face between his hands and pressed his non-existent lips to his.

A merciless tongue immediately darted out and plunged into Joey's mouth without asking for permission, and Joey choked and felt bile rise in his throat. Anubis tasted of rotten flesh, blood and death, his tongue was cold and slimy, and the disgusting feel of wet flesh and dead skin moving against his lips was almost too much. For a moment, the blond was completely frozen in horror…

… Then his reflexes kicked in, and he snapped his jaws shut ruthlessly. The taste of blood filled his mouth, and Anubis howled and pulled his tongue out of Joey's mouth. The freak of a werewolf stumbled backwards with a hand over his mouth to stop the blood which was spilling out violently every time he opened it.

"You bitss!" Anubis snarled at him, having acquired a charming lisp now that his tongue had been damaged. Joey answered by rolling over onto his side and emptying his stomach's contents on the floor between them, thankful as the taste of puke filled his mouth. Even that was _far_ better than the taste of Anubis!

"I can't believe you _bit_ me!" He heard Anubis say once he was done and took a few long, gulping breaths. "You'll _pay_ for that."

A hand gripped his chin and yanked his head up so Joey had no choice but to look him in the eye.

"Fight me all you want," Anubis hissed; his words thick as his tongue began to swell. It made him sound ridiculous. "But I've told you already, I _always _get what I want."

"Go hang yourself, freak," Joey answered between gritted teeth, and refused to look away despite the fact that he was trembling in fear. "You'll never get away with this."

"Oh, I think I will," Anubis said. "I've become very good at staying hidden from your friends in the time I've been watching you. Now will be no different. But I guess," he let go of Joey's chin and stood up straight, "it's time we get going. I'm pretty sure I will be able to climb down from here with you slung over a shoulder. After that it will be easy to leave."

He bent down and picked something up from the ground. Something Joey hadn't seen up until this moment. But as he heard the familiar clank of metal and saw a blade flash in the morning sun, his body stiffened and his eyes widened, unable to take his eyes away. Anubis noticed his expression, and when he realized what it was the Joey was studying so intently, a grin broke out over his face.

"Remember this, do you?" He asked smugly and weighted the sword with the black handle and the red ruby in his hand. "Found it in the forest, not too far from that village of yours. Recognized it immediately, of course. After all, it's hard to forget the weapon which almost killed me. It was the proof I needed to know that I was on the right track to find you."

Then, without further ado, he grabbed one of Joey's arms and literally started dragging him over the floor, through the balcony-door and corridor inside. He still held Joey's old sword in his other hand.

* * *

Seto watched slender fingers slide over the mosaic on the wall and for the first time in his long life, he wished he'd had human hands. It was one of the few things which he found fascinating about that race. Hands seemed so different from his own scale-covered claws. The nerve-endings in the fingers seemed so much more sensitive than the ones in claws. Once he had watched Isis touch a hot stone which was lying close to the fire. Not one second later she snatched her hand back and stuck the burnt digit in her mouth. He wondered what that felt like. When he touched the same hot stone, it had taken him several seconds to feel the heat, and not even then did he have to pull back.

But it wasn't only that which was interesting with human hands. They could be used to feel _another._ Seto wondered what it would feel like to pat Mokuba on the head with a hand rather than a claw. Or what Joey's hair would feel like…

Speaking of Joey, he was just turning his back to the mosaic and looking up at Seto with wide, sparkling amber eyes and a shy smile.

Seto knew this was a dream because quite frankly; he couldn't imagine the real Joey with that look on his face. The real Joey had a loud voice and a shit-eating grin. The real Joey scoffed to hide his embarrassment and bent his head to hide his blushes. The real Joey didn't obey any of Seto's orders or wishes unless he had a good reason, and he certainly didn't say things like:

"This place is so beautiful," with a soft, melodious voice.

Still, the fantasy was nice… even if Seto knew Joey probably wouldn't talk to him for weeks if he knew about these dream-versions of himself.

"If there was one thing my kind was proud of, it was our architecture." Seto said, and for the first time in hundreds of years, he really _did _feel proud of his legacy. Because that awed look in dream-Joey's eyes wasn't imagined. He had seen that look on the real version too, during the tour of Tangea.

"I can see why," dream-Joey said and strolled off down the temple-corridor to inspect a few other pictures. Seto watched him go.

The dragon had decided a while back that Joey wasn't human. He was familiar with humans; they were weak, ugly creatures who deceived, played false games and didn't think twice about stabbing a friend in the back.

They weren't beautiful. They didn't have unruly, golden hair that looked soft to the touch. They didn't have a stubbornly set jaw or full lips which looked absolutely adorable when they pouted. They didn't have the most amazing eyes which shone with passion and strength and shifted from deep brown to amber, depending on the light. Neither were they honest and determined, easy-going and amusing to be around. They just weren't good.

Thus, Joey couldn't be a human.

A small demon, maybe; sent to Seto to drive him crazy. Or perhaps some other strange creature, but not a human. He simply couldn't be.

Joey stopped walking suddenly and turned around to look at him.

"Seto?" He said.

Seto raised an eyebrow to show that the blond had his attention.

"Seto." Joey repeated, a little firmer this time.

"Yes?" Seto answered.

"Seto."

"What is it?"

"Seto!"

Blue eyes snapped open, and at once Seto was wide awake, knowing exactly where he was and how he had gotten there. He was still in the castle-library, and Yami was sitting on a chair in front of him, repeating his name.

"Is breakfast ready?" He asked and raised his head from the bed of pillows, knowing he must have fallen sleep there yesterday.

"Ryou and Malik have almost got it done," Yami said. "Everyone's up except you and Joey. Yugi's out looking for Joey right now. Apparently, he never went back to his and Malik's room last night…. Not unexpected, considering Marik managed to sneak in there. He probably found himself a new place to sleep."

"Hn," Seto said and stood up completely. "I'd better get going if I want to find me and Mokuba some food as well. How come I am the last one awake?"

"Well," Yami said and flew over to sit on Seto's shoulder as the dragon walked out the door, "we all knew you would be up all night looking through your books, so we figured a little more sleep wouldn't harm you. Oh, and don't worry about your and Mokuba's breakfast. He left about one and a half hours ago, and just came back with a sheep in his mouth."

Seto stopped at that and blinked. Mokuba had caught his own breakfast? The news made pride swell inside him, even if a dark little part of his heart stung. His brother had grown up so much in the last few years. He almost missed the days when he had needed Seto to take care of him…

"He will always need you," Yami said, as if he had read the dragon's mind. "It's just that his need takes new shapes all the time."

"Who said I care?" Seto asked coolly and just kept walking, refusing to look at the hawk, and refusing to admit that he'd hit the spot right on.

"No one, Seto, no one…" Yami said and rolled his eyes at his friend's stubbornness.

In the white stone kitchen, Malik, Marik and Mokuba could be found, but surprisingly enough, Ryou, Bakura, Yugi and Joey were all absent. The dragon and hawk noticed this immediately.

"Where are the others?" Yami asked and hopped onto the big table where Mokuba was sitting on a chair, happily munching on his self-caught breakfast.

"Yugi took the others with him to find Joey," Malik said from where he was preparing a steak over the open fire in the fireplace. "He couldn't find him anywhere, and thought Bakura's sense of smell would help."

"He couldn't find Joey?" Yami asked and frowned. "That's odd."

"He's probably fallen asleep in some private room or something, since he couldn't return to our one," Malik said and shot the content-looking werewolf on the floor a vicious look.

Before Marik had a chance to answer, Bakura came running into the room with Yugi and Ryou behind him, all three of them with frowns on their faces.

"We've got a problem," Bakura growled. "There's something inside the castle."

"Well yeah, there's a lot of things in this castle," Marik said, mostly to irritate him.

"I'm talking about something unnatural, you idiot!" Bakura snapped and glared at his grinning face. "Something that really, really shouldn't be here!"

"What do you mean?" Seto asked after a moment, feeling anxiety well up inside him. "What did you see?"

"I didn't _see_ anything," Bakura said. "But I smelled it, while we were looking for the human. It's this… _weird_ odour; I've never felt it before. It's a mix of many different things; burnt flesh… dirt… blood…hate… lust… malice… and _death_. More than anything, it smells of _death_."

"So it's safe to say that this _something_ isn't friendly, right?" Malik said and took their breakfast off the fire. It didn't look like they would be eating it anytime soon. "Can you track it down?"

"I tried, but it's impossible. There isn't a determined pattern to use… it's like someone's walked around and spread it over the whole place. It's everywhere. If I follow it in one direction, it's just as likely that the source is in the other."

"And as if that wasn't enough," Yugi piped up, looking extremely worried. "We can't find Joey."

"And we can't find his smell beneath the other one," Ryou agreed.

"You mean he might be _stuck_ with this evil thing?" Mokuba asked with wide eyes, voicing the thoughts which had already run through Seto's head.

"Most likely."

"But how did it get _in_?" Yami asked. "Wasn't the door supposed to only let in those with good intentions?"

Now, everyone's eyes fixed on Seto, and the white dragon thought about it for a moment.

"The only explanation I can come up with is that there is some strong magic involved in this," he said after a moment. "And when I say strong magic, I mean _strong_ magic; it takes power to breach the barriers in this city. But I can only tell for sure once we find this thing. Let's focus on that for now."

"Okay," Yami said and seemed to puff up his feathers. "We should spread out and go in pairs if we want to find Joey and that thing. Everyone has to be careful; we don't know what we're dealing with here. Yugi and I will go together."

"Ryou's with me," Bakura growled and walked over to stand beside his ward.

"There's no way I would let Mokuba out of my sight now," Seto said calmly, although he was anything but calm on the inside.

"Oh no!" Malik said and stared at all of them with disbelieving eyes. "Don't tell me I have to go with the hornball?!"

Marik's face split into a shit-eating grin.

"Stop being dramatic," Seto told him coolly. "I don't know what's going on between you two, but focus on Joey, rather than each other. You're not a child, Malik. Deal with it."

Malik didn't look like he wanted to deal with it. _At all_! But he had no other choice than to obey- he had sworn loyalty to Seto after all- and pair up with a happy-looking Marik.

Seto pretended he didn't see Malik's sour expression as they all split up and went off in different directions, through corridors and down stairs. His stomach was tossing and turning inside him, spreading the anxiousness throughout all of him. Suddenly he wished the castle had been a lot smaller.

"Big brother," Mokuba said and looked up at him. Seto's worry was mirrored in those big, dark eyes. "We'll find Joey, right?"

"Even if it's the last thing I do," Seto told him with pretended calm, "I promise I will."

It was a promise made as much to himself as to Mokuba.

* * *

It took Anubis about thirty minutes of wandering to realize that he was lost. He stopped with the once again gagged Joey in the middle of a corridor and promptly let go of the blond, letting him fall to the floor by his side.

"Hm, I don't remember this," he said thoughtfully and scratched one of his wounds with the tip of Joey's sword. "This corridor wasn't here yesterday night. Perhaps I should have turned left at the…"

He interrupted himself suddenly, and Joey saw his whole body stiffen. Then he pulled the blond up again and quickly slid through a door to their left, sitting down with his back leaning on the door with Joey between his knees; the blonde's back to his chest and both his arms around the human. He sat completely still, listening carefully.

"…takes new shapes all the time." A dark, soft voice said from the corridor outside, accompanied by the sound of claws on stone floor.

"Who said I care?" Seto's cool voice answered, and Joey's bound body jerked at the sound. Hope rose in his chest, and he had just taken a deep breath to scream though the gag when two long, burnt fingers slipped into his mouth under the gag and plunged down his throat, making him choke. At the same time a cold blade was pressed dangerously to his throat.

"If you try anything, you'll be dead before the sound reaches them," Anubis' soft, lethal voice whispered in his ear.

Joey clenched his eyes shut and nodded. He didn't doubt for a moment that Anubis was serious, and Seto and the others couldn't help him if he was dead. Still, he couldn't help but hope that the dragon, by some miracle, had heard him anyway.

_I'm here! _He screamed in his mind, trying with all his might to send the thoughts to Seto. _I'm right here! I need you! Please help me!_

"No one, Seto, no one…" Yami's voice said, and then the sounds grew fainter until they were gone again. Joey had to hold back tears of frustration and fear.

_Now what?!_

"Good boy," Anubis whispered to him, and licked his cheek as if to praisehim. Joey tried to jerk his head to the side, but one of Anubis' hands held him in place.

"Looks like they're finally up and running," the werewolf murmured almost to himself and licked Joey's cheek again. "That'll make this a little harder, but not by much. Hopefully it will take them a while to realize that you're gone, and by then we will already be out of here."

His other hand wandered down Joey's naked torso and over his hips to caress his inner thights, and if Joey hadn't already gotten rid of everything he had in his stomach, he would have done so now.

"I'll probably have to scout a little, to make sure it's safe for us to continue. Think I can leave you here while I take a look around?" Anubis purred, and licked the side of Joey's throat now. "You'll be a good boy, right…? Such a good boy…" He tongued the blonde's ear, and Joey couldn't help but make a choked, disgusted sound.

That sound seemed to wake Anubis from his trance. The werewolf blinked and stiffened for a moment, before relaxing again. The hand disappeared from Joey's thights.

"You and your tempting body," he muttered, and (_Thank god!_) stood up, making Joey slide to the floor. "You'll have to quit making me wanna screw you on the spot! We still have things to do! Now stay here and stop looking so fuckable! I'll be back in a minute."

Then he slowly slid out the door and down the corridor. Joey was still lying on the floor in that room, curled up and shaking.

He didn't want this. He _hated _this! Somehow, he'd have to get out of these ropes and make off with Anubis once and for all. Or at least get away from the freak and find the others. Yeah… that's what he had to do! He wasn't in any condition to fight Anubis now anyway.

Taking a few calming breaths, Joey raised his head to look around the room.

It seemed to be some kind of function room. It was big and square, with wine-red curtains hanging over the two shapely windows. A giant fireplace- unlit at the moment- towered on one wall with a series of couches and armchairs in front of it. In one corner a small statue of a dragon, fully clad in silver armour was placed, as if to give the room a more personal feel. It didn't work.

Okay, Joey decided after a quick look around. First things first: he had to get the ropes off! And to do that he needed something sharp enough to cut through them.

Once again his gaze swooped over the room, this time really taking it in. Was there anything _sharp _in there? Anything he could use?

The dragon-statue caught his interest almost immediately. The armour was of silver, and not really stuck to the statue; it had simply been hung upon it. On the hind-paws of the statue, small, small metal plates had been attached to the claws. It was probably more decorative than anything, but those small plates looked quite sharp indeed. And Joey was pretty sure he would be able to take one off without problem.

There was just one problem: the statue was standing on the other side of the room. Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem, but when your hands and feet are bound, that tends to make things difficult. Did Joey really dare trying to crawl over there, knowing Anubis could be back at any moment?

On the other hand… did he really have a choice? This might be Joey's only chance to get out of this mess… he couldn't just hang around waiting for someone to save him!

With this in mind, Joey started dragging and rolling himself- with great difficulty- across the floor towards the statue. He moved as fast a he could, all the time listening behind him to hear if Anubis was on his way back.

It didn't take him long to reach his goal, and this close, Joey could see that the plates were a bit smaller than his palm; just big enough so that he'd be able to hold them in his hand without Anubis noticing. He did also see that the edges really were sharp, and he'd probably be able to cut the ropes pretty easily with them. He rolled over so that he had his back- and hands- towards the statue, and after a bit of fumbling he managed to close his hand around one plate and slip it off the stone-claw.

He grinned to himself.

_Bingo!_

"The coast is clear, beautiful!" Anubis said as he walked through the door. "I think we will be able to leave now. Let's just hope we find the way-" he cut himself off abruptly and stared at Joey from the door, completely frozen. Joey stared back; his eyes wide in horror.

After a moment Anubis' eyes became slits, and with five long steps he'd walked across the floor and lifted Joey up by the hair. Joey couldn't help but squeeze his eyes shut as his scalp and neck screamed in pain.

"What are you doing, you little whore?!" Anubis hissed close to his face and threw Joey to the floor again.

He caught sight of the piece of metal in Joey's hand and quickly bent down to tear it from the human. Joey watched as he stared dumbly at the plate for a moment, then he seemed to realize what it was for, because his eyes widened again before he glared down at Joey with those insane eyes.

"You're trying to escape, aren't you?" He hissed angrily, and then, without waiting for an answer: "I go through all the trouble of trying to get us out of here, working my ass of like this, even going as far as to avoid your friends, and you try to _escape_!? You ungrateful little shit!"

A hard slap hit Joey in the face, throwing his head to the side. Anubis just grabbed his chin and turned his head back to face him ruthlessly.

"Well?! What do you have to say for yourself?!" He roared and violently tore the gag off.

Joey had to take a moment to collect himself, then looked straight at Anubis with the coldest look he could muster.

And spat a large snot-ball straight in the werewolf's face.

He had absolutely no idea where the courage had come from, but Joey couldn't help but feel a little proud at the look on Anubis face. It was absolutely priceless! Before he could stop himself, a panicked laugh had torn itself from his throat, shocking his captor even more.

At least he'd have something to brag about at the Pearly gates. He had not only looked death in the eye, but he'd spat and laughed at it too.

* * *

"This is not good," Ryou stated softly, looking down at the pile he and Bakura had found lying on the balcony.

It wasn't just any pile. It was a pile of clothes: a green shirt, black pants, a cloak and leather boots. And on top of it lay a long silver sword.

It was Joey's clothes.

"No shit," Bakura growled form behind him and clenched his large, furry fists. "Not only has that thing- whatever it is- got Joey, but he'd got him _naked _too! Things are starting to look serious."

"We have to find him, Bakura!" Ryou said and stood up, looking at the enchanted wolf with big, worried eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," Bakura said, and not even in a moment like this could he keep from admiring Ryou's stunning beauty. "But we've been looking for almost an hour now, Ry, and there's still no sign of him. Either that thing is hiding him really well, or it and Joey aren't in the castle anymore."

"We will just have to continue looking," Ryou said, and with the pile of clothes in his arms he walked off the balcony and down another corridor.

"It pisses me off that I can't follow the smell," Bakura said and followed him, scowling in frustration. "This would've been so much easier if we had some kind of track to follow."

"You still can't pick up the smell?" The silver-haired boy asked in concern as they walked.

"I can pick it up alright; fucking thing is everywhere," Bakura muttered. His mood was getting steadily worse; he wasn't usually a happy person (or well, _creature_), but that disgusting smell was making it even worse than usual. It was so bad it gave him a headache!

"Hopefully we will find the source soon, and then the smell might go away" Ryou tried to comfort him. "Whatever we're looking for can't hide forever, after all. Sooner or later _someone_ has to spot it. I mean: something that smells _that _bad must be hard to miss. Not to mention a naked Joey!"

"Hm," Bakura said and looked at his soul mate, having suddenly gotten an idea. "Perhaps there's some other way to track it. Seto said it needed strong magic to get through the door, right?"

"Yeah?"

"You should be able to feel strong magic. It's in your nature as a mage to be in touch with everything supernatural around you. So? Can you feel anything?"

Ryou frowned in concentration and seemed to search inside himself for a moment.

"I do," he said. "Well, I feel _something_, but it's not magic. It's… not anything I've ever felt before. It's frightening… so dark and… _dead. _It's like a really thin fog which has spread over the whole place, covering it. I guess it's the same as the smell you feel, only this is a feeling instead. Does that make any sense?"

"I think I understand," Bakura said and looked down at the floor in though.

Not for the first time, he cursed the fact that he had lost almost all his magical abilities in this new shape. Had he been his old self, a mage, he would have been able to feel whatever it was Ryou felt, no doubt. Maybe he even would have been able to track it down: Ryou was far more inexperienced that he had been, after all. But as it was, the only magic he possessed was to change his shape between the wolf and the wolf-man, and that couldn't exactly help them right now.

"I'm not much of a help, am I?" Ryou's soft voice cut through his thoughts, and Bakura's head snapped up to look at the boy.

Ryou was walking with a lowered head and obscured eyes, but Bakura instantly knew the look on his face was depressed.

"If only I was better at magic, we might have been able to find Joey already. But I'm nothing but a no good rookie, and I can't help Joey at all."

Bakura sighed silently. This was so typical Ryou; the boy didn't have much of a self-esteem. Every now and then he'd lapse into one of his 'funks' when there was something he couldn't do, and it always made Bakura's heart ache to see his beautiful Ryou like that. And yet, he didn't really know how to handle it. He'd never cared for anyone like he cared for Ryou before, so he didn't exactly have much experience in the field.

Deciding that acting like his usual, painfully honest self was the only thing he _could_ do, Bakura stopped, turned to the boy and lifted his chin so that their eyes could meet. It was a very awkward position; Ryou had to crane his neck back almost painfully, and Bakura had to bend over slightly.

Sometimes it really sucked being a two metres tall enchanted wolf-man.

"Don't be ridiculous," Bakura growled softly, admiring his love's big brown eyes. They were just so beautiful! "You're not any more worthless in all this than anyone else. And stop it with the guilt-trip; Joey can take care of himself! He doesn't need you to baby him. It's nice that you care and all, but stop beating yourself up over this. That won't help anyone. Not Joey, and definitely not you."

Ryou blinked up at him in surprise a few times (which looked simply adorable, by the way) and then, suddenly he looked down again with a small chuckle.

"What?" Bakura asked half in confusion, half in irritation.

"Kura, you are so socially inept," Ryou said softly and looked up at him with a small, amused smile. "It's really quite obvious that you don't do the whole comfort-thing very often. As Joey would have said: you suck at it."

Bakura knew that if he had had the right anatomy, he would have blushed beet red right then. And that fact made him angry, because he had never ever been a blushing person (or, well… _creature_!) But thankfully, he _couldn't_ blush in this body, so instead just scoffed and turned around to continue walking.

"That's the last time I try making you feel better," he muttered sourly as Ryou hurried to keep up.

"Oh, don't be mad, Kura," Ryou said with a small laugh which made silly tingles go off inside Bakura. "I think it's quite adorable how you try to be sensitive and tough and the same time!"

"Shut up," Bakura mumbled; his mood growing worse for every sentence his protégé spoke. "Let's just concentrate on finding the human and the source of that fucking smell."

"Yeah, I guess we should," Ryou said as they stepped out of the corridor and into the entrance hall; the circular one with the many stairs leading everywhere. The big door was still there, closed, and the morning sun was shining in through the glass-roof. The whole sight didn't really fit in with the tense and worried mood in the air.

"I just wish there was some way we could make this easier," Ryou said as walked across the floor with Bakura. "Who knows for how long we will have to-"

Bakura stopped and turned around when the boy stopped walking suddenly and his voice died away. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Ryou, but the younger boy didn't see it. He was too busy staring at something at the top of one of the stairs. Following his gaze, Bakura's eyes landed on the same sight.

They widened.

"What the hell?!"

* * *

When Joey regained consciousness after the beating Anubis had given him, the pain in his skull was the first thing he registered. The second was that he had been thrown over one of the werewolf's shoulders like a sack of potatoes, and that the freak was patting his behind softly as he mumbled to himself.

"I hate to be so harsh to you, but you need to learn obedience," he was saying, his voice almost (_almost_) remorseful. "I found the way out of here, at least. And I think that as soon as we get away from here, you'll be easier to control. And if not… well, I've always enjoyed a good challenge. I just wonder… if we run all day, will that be enough space between us and them? Will they be able to find you? God, I hope not! I wanna take you as soon as we get far enough away! And things have been going so well thus far… at least if we forget your little escape attempt earlier. I'm feeling lucky, so it'll probably work out! I'm feeling very good right now."

Joey wondered if the monster knew that he was awake. Then he wondered if Anubis honestly thought that he wanted this too. He talked like that sometimes… as if he believed that he was _saving _Joey. And then, other times, he was acting like his old, malicious and dangerous self again. But then the blonde decided not to think about it; the simple explanation was that Anubis was insane. Something inside him had snapped, and now he was… _this._

"Ah, here we are," Anubis said suddenly, and before Joey knew it, he had been placed onto his unsteady feet with Anubis' hands at his waist to steady him. The insane werewolf gave him a triumphant little smirk.

"See," he said and nodded at something in front of them. "I told you I'd get us out."

They were standing on the top of a staircase with the whole entrance in front of them; the exit-door towering in front of them in all its wooden glory. Joey's heart sank as he realized that they were very close to Anubis' goal. Would the others really be able to find him once he was out of the castle and the city? Was it too late? Would he really become Anubis' little whore? Was this how his life was supposed to end?

"We'll climb down in a moment, but I will untie your feet for the occasion," Anubis explained and knelt down in front of him, putting the sword aside for a moment. "I think it will be easier if you can walk once we get down. Oh, I can't wait! Soon, soon you will finally be mine! I've waited so long, and now it's finally happening!"

After a few moments of fiddling with the ropes around his feet, Joey could feel them loosen and slip off. He contemplated kicking the werewolf for a moment, but he was still a little woozy from the abuse he'd received earlier. He'd probably end up falling on his ass, and then Anubis would get mad and beat him unconscious again. Although that might give him a little more time… Maybe by some miracle the others would find him while Anubis was busy beating the crap out of him…

But before Joey could make up his mind about the kicking, his captor had already re-grabbed the sword and straightened again. He looked at him with hungry eyes, and slowly a hand reached up and caressed the blonde's face. Joey turned his head to the side, but much like before, he couldn't escape Anubis' touch.

"You really are beautiful, you know," Anubis murmured, a perverted grin spreading over his deformed face. "And it feels like you're already giving in to me. Just look at how you tilt your head to the side so submissively. Such a pretty little pet you will become. I bet you will love it when I take you. You're just playing hard to get, when really, you want it. Am I not right, you little slut?"

_NO! _Joey wanted to scream in his face. _I don't want this, you crazy, perverted freak! I want you to die and leave me alone, both awake and asleep. I hate you! I hate you more than I thought I could, and I don't want anything you're planning to do! Oh please, someone help me! Get me away from this monster! Someone… Seto! _

But of course, no one came, and Anubis just kept grinning as he leaned in to start nibbling on Joey's throat with sharp teeth. At the same time his hands found the boy's butt-cheeks and pulled him against himself. Joey felt the handle of his own sword- which Anubis was still holding in his hand- brush against his back-bound fingers, and the feeling left a mocking aftertaste: so close, and yet so far away.

"I don't know if I can wait," Anubis husked in Joey's ear, and ground himself against the boy, as he had done that day in the werewolf-cave. "I don't think I _want_ to wait!"

Joey closed his eyes tightly and breathed rapidly through his nose to ward off the panic which was spreading inside him. It didn't do him any good.

But then he suddenly felt Anubis pull his hands and lips away from his person and freeze. After a moment he dared opening his eyes, and saw that Anubis' gaze was fixed on the floor beneath the stairs. He followed the werewolf's gaze and felt his heart leap into his throat.

"I just wish there was some way we could make this easier," Ryou said as he walked across the floor with Bakura. "Who knows for how long we will have to-"

Then the young mage's eyes caught sight of the werewolf and blond boy standing on top of the stairs, and he stopped dead. Bakura too stopped walking and gave his companion a confused look, before following his gaze to Anubis and Joey.

His eyes grew very wide.

For a moment the four just stood there, staring at each other in complete shock. Joey was desperately praying that this wasn't just a illusion.

"What the hell?!" Bakura exclaimed suddenly, and time seemed to explode into motion again.

"_Shit_!" Anubis hissed as Ryou and Bakura spun around and started running up the stairs toward them as fast as they could.

Quickly the werewolf turned to a colourful, decorative glass-vase which had been perched on top of the banister and pushed it down the stairs. It was a pretty big vase; surely as tall and broad as Bakura, and the last thing Joey saw before Anubis snatched him up and zoomed off down the corridor- away from the exit as well as Joey's friends- was how Bakura managed to jump over it, while Ryou was hit right on.

"_Ryou_!" He heard Bakura's horrified voice exclaim before Anubis turned around a corner and zigzagged his way through a few more corridors. He was running like he had the hounds of hell at his heels, and Joey, who was once again thrown over his shoulder, had to endure the feeling of Anubis' sharp shoulder digging into his stomach while he desperately tried to squirm out of the werewolf's grip.

After a few minutes of mindless running Anubis threw himself into a room and slammed the door, throwing Joey down in the floor while he paced back and forth like a caged animal.

"Fuckfuckfuck_fuck_," he snarled and drew a hand across his bare scalp. "So close… _so fucking close_! Everything was going so well, and then those little shits had to show up and… _FUCK_!"

He drove his fist into the wall next to the door, and a sickening crack was heard as all his knuckles were crushed and started bleeding violently. The wall remained completely unscratched. Anubis stared at it with empty eyes and a shaking body. Without noticing, he raised his bleeding hand to his mouth and started licking the red substance off.

On the floor Joey was squirming around like mad, doing his best to get the ropes around his wrists off. The sight of his friends, the knowledge that they were looking for him, had given him new strength. Now he was definitely not gonna let Anubis take him away without a fight! But the only thing he managed to do by squirming was make his wrists sting and his hands feel strange as his circulation was cut off even more.

"We'll have to find another way out now," Anubis growled, the taste of blood in his mouth seeming to calm him down a little. "They're probably everywhere now, and it's only a matter of time before we run into them again. Perhaps I'll be able to climb down from a balcony or window instead… they'll be watching the exit now, for sure. _Damnit_, and here I thought luck was on my side! I wish I could just kill them all and walk out of here with the little slut. The assholes deserve to _die_!"

Joey, realizing that his squirming wouldn't help, decided to try a new strategy. He had just remembered that his legs were unbound now. And that meant that he could run. And kick.

Pulling his legs up to his chest and rolling his whole body together into a small ball, Joey lowered his shoulders and stretched his arms as far as they would go. He then dragged them down his back, behind his ass and under his feet. For someone as agile as Joey, it was simple to pull them under himself so that his hands were bound _in_ _front_ of him instead of behind him.

As soon as he had done this, Joey grinned triumphantly and held his hands up in front of him. Sure, he was still bound, but his handicap had just lessened considerably. And the best thing was that Anubis didn't seem to have noticed. He was too busy pressing his ear to the door and muttering to himself.

Silently pulling the gag out of his mouth and pushing up off the ground, Joey snuck towards his tormentor.

"I don't know where we are anymore, so we'll just have to be really, really careful when we look for a way out of here," Anubis was mumbling. "It's good that there are so many rooms to hide in in this stupid castle; makes it harder for your little friends to find us. They won't get me; I'll make sure of that. I'd rather die than get caught by that fucking dragon or my bastard half-brother."

"Technically, you're as much of a bastard as he is," Joey said, and when Anubis spun around he delivered a spinning kick to the assholes face. He heard something crack, and Anubis fell to the floor screaming.

"I'll kill you, you little _shit_!" He howled, and then couldn't say anything more because Joey kicked him in the face again, breaking it even more.

After that Joey had to steady himself for a few seconds, and looked down at the screaming, bloody mess on the floor. As soon as his head stopped spinning he bent down and snatched the sword from where Anubis had dropped it, then turned and fumbled with the door.

"Bitch…" he heard the werewolf grate out behind him. The voice sounded… odd for some reason, and it made cold fear spread through his whole being. "I will… not let you… _get away from me again_. You're _mine_…"

Finally the door opened, and Joey practically _fell_ out, throwing it shut behind him. At once, silence seemed to envelop him, now that he was away from the terrible sound of Anubis' voice. Here, in the corridor, where Joey could hear nothing but his own rapid heartbeats, it was almost peaceful.

He leaned his back against the wood, taking a moment to just breathe and force the fear away. As soon as his heart started calming- if only a little- he finally realized he had managed to escape! He'd just have to find Seto or the others now and then-

Something heavy hit the other side of the door, making the hinges rattle and the lock almost give way. Joey immediately pressed his whole weight to the door, to make sure it wouldn't fly open.

"_HUMAN_!" Anubis howled from the other side, the rage in his voice making the fear Joey experienced earlier return tenfold. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU'RE _MINE_!" Then the weight- probably Anubis' body- hit the door again, making the wood groan from the strain which was put upon it.

As soon as the door stopped shaking Joey quickly bent down on his knees and drove the sword into the floor just where it disappeared under the door. The blade was buried at least four-five centimetres into the stone-floor, and the weapon stood there as a sort of wedge-and-yet-not, holding the door closed.

As soon as he was sure that the door was barricaded that way, Joey stood up again and ran off down the corridor, not caring where he was going, just that he got as far away from Anubis as he could, _quickly_!

He had only just rounded the corner when he heard the sound of wood breaking behind him, accompanied by a blood-curling howl.

* * *

Seto and Mokuba had started running towards the entrance hall as soon as they heard the sound of glass breaking. Fortunately, they hadn't been too far away and got there in only a few minutes. The sight that met them made Mokuba gasp and Seto's eye widen.

Somehow, Bakura had managed to dive in under the vase with Ryou, and placed himself between his love and the dangerous object. When the vase had hit his broad back the glass had shattered and the wolf had been showered in small shards which cut his whole back open. So when Seto and Mokuba reached them, Bakura way lying on his stomach panting, covered in blood and glass, with Ryou sitting beside him. The whole floor glimmered with small, sharp pieces of glass.

"What the hell happened here?!" Seto asked, quickly walking over to stand beside the two, glass crunching under his feet. Ryou raised his tear-stained face to look at him.

"Joey," he sobbed. "We _saw_ _Joey_!"

"What?!" Mokuba said from behind Seto. "Where?! What happened?!"

"That… that _thing_ has him," Ryou said and slid a hand over his wolf's neck. Seto could see that he, as well, had cut himself on the glass, but not nearly as much as Bakura. "At the top of the stairs… suddenly they were just _standing_ there… Joey was bound and gagged and… and it looked like a _monster_, Seto! I've never seen anything like it! And then we tried to follow it, and it threw a vase at us! Bakura was just trying to protect me… Oh, I'm so sorry, Kura!"

"Not your fault," Bakura forced out between gritted teeth, and one of his big hands found Ryou's and squeezed. His blood was starting to leak out over the floor, mixing with the glass.

At that moment Yami, Yugi, Malik and Marik appeared around the corner, and all four of them stopped dead and stared.

"What happened?!" Yami asked, eyes wide.

"I'll explain later!" Seto said and turned back to Ryou, who was stroking Bakura's face gently. "Where did it go? Where did it take Joey?"

Ryou swallowed and raised a hand to point at the top of the stairs, where he had spotted Joey. Seto nodded to show that he had understood, before turning to the others.

"Yami, Yugi and Marik, come with me! Malik, you stay here and take care of Bakura, Ryou and Mokuba. Try to stop the bleeding, and watch out for the glass! We have to find Joey!"

And then he turned and ran up the stars, Marik at his heels and Yami flying after them on steady wings with his claws around Yugi's biceps, carrying him. The three knew better than to ask questions when the dragon used that tone.

"You've found Joey?" Yami asked as he flew up beside Seto.

"Ryou and Bakura saw him with that thing we are looking for, but they lost sight of it when it threw a vase at them. According to Ryou, it's a real monster."

"So it ran off in this direction?" Yugi asked. "What if we can't find it?! This castle really is huge, and now that we know what we're dealing with…"

"We _don't_ know what we're dealing with yet," Seto interrupted darkly. "And that is what really worries me."

"The smell is still the same, except stronger," Marik said, his nose almost as good as Bakura's. "It's still impossible to follow it."

"Which means we still have no real clues to work with," Yami concluded. "We know this monster ran off in this direction, but here are so many corridors that it makes that knowledge worthless. We're no closer to finding Joey that we was before."

Seto glared at him.

"I'm not about to give up."

"Neither am I, but-"

A frightening roar suddenly erupted from somewhere in a corridor to their left, bouncing of the walls an echoing everywhere around the little group. They all came to a screeching halt and exchanged looks as the sound continued through the castle and slowly died away.

"Well, if that isn't a clue, then I don't know what is," Marik stated, and without another word all of them turned and ran in the direction the sound had come from.

* * *

Despite his burnt state and insanity, Anubis was still fast. Joey learned this the hard way as he ran through the castle as fast as he could and suddenly felt a hand grip his hair and pull him backwards, throwing him to the ground on his back. Barely a second later, a large body landed on top of him and Anubis bit the side of his throat. _Hard_!

"I'm gonna suck the blood right out of you here and now," he snarled, and spit flew from his mouth. "I'm gonna fuck you raw and rip your throat off, and then leave you here bleeding to death. Let's see what your lovely dragon says when he finds you as a bloody corpse on the floor."

And the insane demon actually reached down and started fumbling with Joey's underwear.

Screaming, Joey managed to swing his leg up and hook it around Anubis' neck, wrenching it to the side. The freak had no choice but to follow the movement and throw himself off Joey, lest he get his neck broken.

Joey was on his feet and running again in the span of two seconds. He heard a shriek behind him, accompanied by hard, uneven footsteps, and he just managed to throw a door wide open in time for Anubis to run straight into it. Once again, the freak formerly known as the werewolf alpha roared in anger and pain. The whole thing would have been hilarious if it wasn't for the I'm-fighting-for-my-life part.

The second time Anubis caught up with him was a few corridors further up. This time Joey heard him come and threw himself to the side just as he tried to tackle him from behind. Anubis quickly turned around to attack again, but Joey was already giving him a flying kick which Anubis unfortunately managed to parry. He gripped Joey's leg and tried to wrench it to the side- break it- but Joey allowed the movement to spin his whole body in the air, and instead managed to hit Anubis on a painful spot on his shoulder with his _other_ foot, making him let go of the one he was gripping.

The werewolf wasn't giving up, but attacked again, this time using his sharp claws to try and get to Joey's eyes. The blond used his speed and bound hands to dodge and fend off, but Anubis still managed to get him a few times. Soon, Joey's face had gained a nice collection of new scratches, and he was steadily forced backwards by Anubis' constant onslaught of attacks.

He didn't have many chances to fight back: everything that had happened during the day was taking its right, and Joey felt that his strength was failing him fast. Soon his movements would start becoming sloppy and slower, and it was only a matter of time before Anubis would find some hole in his defence. Hell, he'd left so many holes already, but luckily the werewolf didn't have his head in the game. That was Joey's only advantage right now.

While one kept attacking and the other kept countering, the two fighters moved down the corridor and into a new one; one they had been in earlier that day. Soon, Joey had backed out onto the balcony he had woken up on earlier that day. It felt like ages ago now.

Suddenly Anubis threw himself at Joey with his hands outstretched, no doubt intending to close them around his neck and strangle him, but Joey bent over backwards in a true matrix-move and ended up with half his body hanging outside the balcony-rail; Anubis lying on top of him like a heavy, snarling blanket. He linked his still tied hands together and punched Anubis straight in the diaphragm, and when the demon took as step back to clutch his abdomen Joey kicked him off completely.

There is, however, a side-effect to kicking someone when you're lying halfway outside a balcony-rail. As Joey pushed away with his foot, he lost his balance, causing him to topple over backwards over the rail. His heart stopped in his chest when Joey realized that he was going to fall to his imminent death on the street far beneath him.

But then Anubis was grabbing his foot and pulling him back onto the balcony again, and Joey was still so shocked from his almost-fall that he didn't have time to react as large, skin-less hands finally gripped his neck and squeezed hard. All he could do was gasp and flail wildly as Anubis lifted him up high, a malicious grin covering his destroyed face.

"It's ironic, isn't it?" he hissed to Joey, who was already getting light-headed at the lack of oxygen. "You almost died from choking last time we were in a situation similar to this. Only this time you lose. This time no one's gonna come and save you."

"Wanna bet?" Someone said from behind Anubis, and Joey's eyes, which he didn't remember closing, flew open again to stare in ecstatic disbelief as the white dragon towering there in the door, looking beyond pissed, with a blond werewolf, a black hawk and a young boy at his sides.

"Let him go," Seto said so coldly the sun almost froze over, and at the same time Yugi took a few steps towards Joey and Anubis.

"Oh my god, _Joey_!" He exclaimed in horror.

The werewolf actually _did_ put Joey down on the ground again, but his obedience ended there, because he quickly wrapped an arm around Joey's neck and squeezed, at the same time spinning around to face his enemies.

"Take one step closer and I'll snap his neck like a match," he hissed and glared at Seto. Yugi immediately stopped, and his eyes widened even more.

"Not a smart move," Seto told him with eyes that were almost black in rage.

"As if I'd ever take orders from a shithead like you," Anubis snarled in cold hatred. His insane mind simply couldn't grasp the fact that he couldn't win this. "The human is mine, and no one will take him away from me _ever again_!"

"Again?" Yami asked from Seto's side, clearly bewildered. "Who _are _you?"

Anubis' anger was quickly exchanged for an evil smirk. He even went as far as chuckling a little.

"You don't recognize me?" He growled softly, and fixed Seto with another look. "I feel so insulted; you are, after all, the one who made me this way."

Seto's eyes widened a millimetre, but Anubis' gaze just swept on to focus on Marik, who had been silent up until now. His smirk grew to a grin.

"Not even you?" He said with a mockingly sweet voice. "My dear _half_-_brother_."

Marik froze over completely. His violet eyes spoke of disbelief and hate. It took him a moment to comprehend the truth.

"_Anubis_?!" He managed to get out at last.

"What?!" Yugi and Yami exclaimed at the same time, giving the blond werewolf a incredulous stare.

"Correct," Anubis said smugly. "I'm back, brother, to finish what I started. I promise you; you will be the first I take care of as soon as I am done with this beautiful one."

"How can he be alive?!" Yugi asked the air in general. "He _can't_ be alive! It's impossible! Seto's fire killed him!"

"I think I've figured out how he got into the castle," Seto said, his eyes fixed on the werewolf. "And how he can still be alive."

"Please, do tell," Anubis said mockingly. "I'd love to hear your stupid theories. You really strike me as the sort of guy who thinks he knows everything."

Joey almost felt like laughing at how right he was.

"Look at his eyes," Seto told his friends, and they all turned to stare at Anubis, who met each and everyone's gaze with a smirk. "They're black."

It was true. Joey hadn't noticed it in his attempts to get away from his attacker, and he couldn't see it now either, what with his back turned to Anubis and everything, but the werewolf really _had _black eyes. And it wasn't just the irises which were black either. No, the whole _eyes_ were black; it was the only thing one could see in the sockets; deep, endless darkness.

"Yugi, what can you say about this creature's aura?" Seto continued as soon as he had made sure everyone knew what he was talking about. "What about his soul?"

Yugi frowned in confusion, but trusted Seto to know what he was doing, because he took a moment to focus inside himself, sending out signals to this monster to see what he got in response. He couldn't help but shiver at what he felt.

"There… there is no soul…" he said slowly and hugged himself, as if to ward of the feelings he got. Unbidden, Yami turned into his smaller self and flew over to sit on the boy's shoulder, offering him comfort. "All I can feel is darkness, death and… lust. For revenge, and for… _flesh_." He frowned for a moment, then nodded to himself. "That's the only way I can explain it."

"I think we all understand what you mean," Seto said.

"Is this going anywhere?" Anubis asked, clearly growing impatient. Joey felt the arm around his neck tighten.

"This creature isn't really alive," Seto said as answer to the question, and directed a disgusted look at him. "There is no way that any soul would stay in a body that is _that_ damaged. This is nothing but a corpse that's walking around, controlled by his own inner darkness. That's why those burns and wounds are still open- even rotting: the body doesn't see any reason to heal itself anymore. And that's why the castle didn't keep him out. The spell only works on creatures with a soul."

He frowned.

"Quite short-sighted of my ancestors, really."

"So what is he? A zombie? A ghost?" Marik wanted to know, still staring hatefully at his so called half-brother.

"He is neither. A zombie doesn't have a mind, it doesn't think. It simply walks around; exists. And a ghost is a soul which has been chained to the earth without a body for one reason or another. This… this is something I've never heard of or seen before. It's simply his own darkness which has taken over the body. All it wants is to cause damage and kill. It lives on pain, suffering, lust and malice. A creature of sins, if you will."

"Impressive," Anubis said with the same smirk in place. "Not a bad theory, I admit that much. But I'm afraid I can't really confirm it, since I don't know the answer myself. All I know is that the darkness has helped me, and I must fulfil what I wanted to do before _you_ all came along!"

His arm around Joey's neck tightened even more, making the blond gasp. Desperately, Joey reached up and gripped it, trying to keep the creature from strangling him. It wasn't really helping.

"I hope you know that you'll never get me alive," Anubis said, and now his face was growing serious again. "And not this little human either. Oh no, if I die today, he will die too, and then you'll live the rest of your lives knowing you couldn't save him." His gaze was once again fixed on Seto. "How does it feel, dragon? Knowing he will die here, today, on this balcony?"

Balcony?

Oh right… they were standing on a balcony. Somewhere along the way, Joey had forgotten that little fact. He thanked Anubis for reminding him.

"He won't die here today," Seto growled, beyond pissed now. "But I'll make sure you do, you insane bastard."

"You're very cocky, considering I've got your precious human this good," Anubis said, not noticing how Joey took a few deep breaths and bent his knees. "But I bet you're always cocky, right?"

"Seto?" Joey spoke up for the first time, and met the dragon's blue eyes right on. They were so beautiful.

_Yes, damnit! He admitted it! Seto had beautiful eyes!_

"If you don't catch me, I'll kill you," Joey told him, and before anyone, especially Anubis, had the chance to think about what he meant, Joey had already pushed back as hard as he could with his legs, throwing himself against Anubis' chest, causing the werewolf to stumble backward…

… and tumble over the balcony-rail.

"_JOEY!_" Was the last thing Joey heard before anything _remotely_ like solid ground disappeared from under his feet and he plunged towards his death, still with Anubis' arm locked around his neck.

The werewolf was screaming his lungs out, but Joey barely heard it over the wind roaring in his ears. For one-sixth of a second he contemplated how different this was from flying with Seto, but then his instincts regained control over his brain, and he started to struggle against his tormentor. It wasn't hard to squirm out of Anubis' grip now, but instead the werewolf latched on with his arm.

"_MINE_!" The creature screamed with the voice of hell-spawns. "_MINE_!"

"Go fuck yourself!" Joey screamed back, and then did something he had never thought he'd do to another male.

He kicked him in the nuts.

And despite all the pain Anubis must have endured in his life, he now gave an unmanly scream and let go of Joey.

Half a second later Joey felt something firm and warm close around his waist and he was brutally snatched upwards, but it was too late. Whatever it was that had grabbed him hit the ground with a deafening 'boom', tumbled around a few times and then came to an abrupt halt, resting against a house-wall. Joey, however, had moments before the crash been cradled to a hard chest, and his saviour's body had taken the hit completely.

It was, of course, Seto.

It had taken the dragon less than a second to follow Joey and Anubis over the edge. He had made a ninety degrees dive straight after the bundle of human and monster, flapping his wings to get to them faster. He'd only managed to grab Joey a few metres above the ground, and even though he'd immediately spread his wings to stop them from falling anymore, it had been far too late. He'd hit the stone-street at a very high speed, and crashed. It could, however, have been _a lot_ worse, because it wasn't anything a dragon couldn't handle. And Joey was okay.

_At least __I hope so…_

It was that last thought which made Seto untangle his limbs and sit up a little. And there he was; golden haired and half naked, standing on his knees barely half a metre from Seto, looking up at the dragon with wide, shimmering amber eyes.

"Joey," Seto managed to get out. A large knot was clogging his throat for some reason. "Are you okay?"

The boy just kept staring at him with those beautiful eyes, and the knot in Seto's throat quickly grew a few sizes. What if something had happened to him? What if he had been injured or hurt before they arrived? What if Anubis had done something to him before… gods, please no…

"Joey?"

He couldn't help himself. He just _had _to pull a claw through that golden hair, to make sure Joey was really here.

But the touch seemed to trigger something, because Joey's eyes suddenly started to water, and his head fell forward onto Seto's scaly arm, not at all unlike the way it had done on their first day here, when Seto had told him about his past. Slender hands (still bound) reached up to caress warm scales.

"Just…" he choked out shakily and had to swallow before he continued: "just let me… let me be weak for a moment. I… I need…"

Seto understood. Somehow, he just _understood_! And before he had time to think about what he was doing, he'd bent his head down and nuzzled those golden tresses softly, in comfort.

"It's okay," he murmured softly, like he had when Mokuba was a baby and upset.

"I was… _so afraid_…"

"It's over now… I'm here… it's okay…"

"Seto… thank you…"

They just stayed like that for a while, whispering not-so-sweet nothings to each other to calm the other down, or at least to make sure they were really there. They didn't even notice when a terrified Yami and Yugi landed on the ground a few metres away, or when Marik came over and declared that he'd found Anubis' dead body, with a crushed skull, and that he'd get rid of it immediately. As a matter of fact, it took them almost half an hour to pull themselves together and lean away from each other. But once they did, Joey gave Seto a small, grateful smile before standing up on shaking legs. Almost immediately, Yugi was there.

"We were so scared!" he told them both and placed a hand on Joey's waist to steady him, at the same time as he took one of the blonde's arms and wrapped it around his shoulders. "I thought I'd have a heart attack when you pushed yourself and Anubis over the edge, and then Seto just dived after you… please, never do anything like that again!"

"I'll try, Yug," Joey tried to joke, even if he only sounded tired and scared. "I'll try."

"Are you okay, Seto?" Yami asked, jumping over to look at the dragon. "That was quite some crash."

Joey stopped and turned to look at Seto with guilty eyes. Why hadn't _he _asked that?! How selfish was he?!

But Seto, who seemed to understand exactly what Joey was thinking, only shot him a look which said that it was okay, and then turned to Yami. He started to move around, readying himself to stand up.

"It wasn't that bad," he said. "I'm fi- _AH_!"

Joey, Yugi and Yami jumped at the pained exclamation, and Joey was at his side instantly.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern shining in his eyes.

Seto only growled softly and looked to the side. Joey followed his gaze and couldn't help but gasp.

Seto's right wing was lying stretched out on the ground in an extremely odd angle, and all the dragon's attempts to move it was futile, as well as painful. It took the blonde a moment to comprehend what the problem was.

The wing was obviously broken.

**Inspirational music for this chapter: ****Blow me away by Breaking Benjamin. **

**BEST! SONG! EVER!! (Although I've listened to it so much I might puke if I hear it again. S:) **

**Twenty pages… In eight days… And a chapter which has been completely improvised. **

…

**YA'LL BETTER BE GRATEFUL! I'M FUCKING SPOILING YOU HERE! **

**But I guess you deserve it, after all those nice reviews. **

**I was actually thinking about splitting this chapter in two parts, 'cause it was so fricking long, but then I thought "what the heck" and posted the whole damn thing! What do you think about that? Should I have split it in two parts instead? (I think I already know the answer…) **

**I'm exhausted right now, so let me just say thanks to: **

**Deme, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey**** maker, mandapandabug, Silver Hunteress, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, SetsuUzumaki, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, Astrael's Get, Assassin of the Shadows, someoneyoudontknow, ONIX-21, Coconut Kazuo, Katlyn, Misster Cackles, rubisora18117, Purple Sox, Hi Kitsune, RinkyPink, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, tommy2.0, Iruweenie, Reincarnated Rat, Searafina, jenni Imouto, S.A.M.Thedragongirl, FiveForChibis, firedraygon, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, Flopples, inuyasharules247, midnight-whisper3, Makoto-Elena, SilverWhiteDragon, Iona, TheOtherWorldliNess, ShyHyperactiveNinja, MadReaper, manga magirekomu, kaeryth, SuGaR-oN-ToP and ylc**

**There, I'm done! I'm going to bed now!**

**Oh, just one more thing.**

**I WORKED MY ASS OF ON THIS FUCKING CHAPTER, SLAVING AWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO SATISFY YOU ALL, SO IF I DON'T GET SOME NICE LONG REVIEWS FROM MY LOVING READERS I'M GONNA SERIOUSLY KILL MYSELF CAUSE THEN I KNOW YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE AND IT'S USELESS TO UPDATE!!**

**There, I'm done…**

**R&R!!**

**P.S. **

**RUBISORA'S MADE ME SOME MORE FANART!**

**GO CHECK IT OUT, MY LOYAL MINIONS!**

**rubaisora DOT**** deviantart DOT com/art/Dragon-s-Kiss-Rest-93610429 **

**rubaisora**** DOT deviantart DOT com/art/Dragon-s-Kiss-Watching-93610074**

**rubaisora DOT deviantart**** DOT com/art/Dragon-s-Kiss-First-Flight-93609677 **

**D.S. **


	22. We never get a break

Chapter twenty one: We never get a break

Keith knew that most people thought he was a brain-dead moron who just followed his sister around wherever she went, and quite frankly; that's the way he wanted it. Over the years, he had been very careful to plant that image in everyone's minds, even his own sister's. But the truth was that Keith was far from stupid, and since he mostly just shut up and played dumb, he had a lot of opportunities to watch and analyze the situations around him. This meant he often knew things that others didn't.

Take Téa and Rebecca for example.

It was almost painfully obvious that the witch had taken control over their situation and dubbed herself leader the moment Téa had made her join them. And Téa, in turn, hated her for it, but had no choice but to obey, because Rebecca was far more powerful than she could ever hope to be.

This, of course, wasn't much of a surprise. Everyone in their little camp, even the stupidest of the thugs, knew that Rebecca was in charge. Téa was simply too affected by her emotions and impulses to be a good leader. Sure, the girl was clever; she wouldn't have come up with this plan and gotten this far if she wasn't, but her pride and temper got the best of her. Where Téa screamed and threatened and bitched, Rebecca simply giggled in that little way of hers, and if she came across a problem, snapped her fingers and torched it. It wasn't that Rebecca wasn't as hot-headed as Téa; she was just much better at hiding it, not to mention that she had the power to take care of anything quite easily.

The twelve-year-old-who-wasn't-really-a-twelve-year-old had the whole camp in such an iron-grip it wasn't even funny.

But there were other things Keith noticed that the others didn't. Better hidden, under-the-surface things. He saw other emotions inside Téa than just hate, envy and fear. He saw sorrow too… and remorse for the things they had done. He knew his sister cried herself to sleep most nights and there was something in those pathetic little sobs which made him believe that… she wasn't crying for her own sake.

It made him snort in disdain. Téa really _was_ ruled by her emotions, there was no doubt about it. His younger sister had been living in her own little world for so long; this wakeup call must be pure agony. He himself felt neither pity/compassion for his sister, nor remorse for the things he had done. The only things he shared with Téa were blood-bonds and the take-over-Domino plot. Otherwise, he didn't care for her in the least.

And as for the remorse-part… quite opposite to his stupid sister, Keith had always been aware of the real world, and didn't really give a shit. What had reality ever really done for him, anyway?

And when it came to Rebecca… Keith got along with the crazy little girl okay. She gave him orders, he obeyed, and that was it. They both knew what they wanted in all of this, and what they had to do to get it. Keith would like to think that Rebecca held some kind of silent respect for him. The gods knew he did for her.

But he had been noticing things about Rebecca too lately. It had been a little less than a week since the changes had started. The girl was more silent; thoughtful, and she was frowning a lot, as if there was something wrong, or something she didn't understand. She stopped threatening to torch people (or at least did it a lot less) and spent more and more time in her private tent, giving Téa the chance to rant and rave and order the others around a lot more (because even if the girl cried herself to sleep at night, she still kept up appearances in front of everyone else).

Keith was a bit bothered by this change in Rebecca. Not personally, of course! He hated that little monster almost as much as his sister, but he did care about their project, and the truth of the matter was that Rebecca was the master-mind, leader and assurance that they would reach their goal. If everything wasn't right with her, then the whole plot might fall apart.

That's why he one night snuck over to her tent and slipped inside with the excuse that he wanted to give her a rapport on how the building of their weapon was coming along.

When Rebecca had ordered him and the others to start building a harpoon, Keith had been more than a little confused. But as they got to work and the huge weapon grew more and more, her plan started to take shape, and Keith had to admit that it was a damn fine plan! The weapon they were building really looked like a large harpoon, except on wheels; surely five-six metres long and seven metres tall. It was easy to manoeuvre and had a cruising rangeof more than three hundred metres.

It would be perfect to shoot the dragon down.

But since Keith had been in charge of the building he only deemed it right that he reported directly to Rebecca. And this gave him just the excuse he needed to get some alone time with the pyromaniac witch.

Rebecca was standing bent over a map as Keith entered her tent, muttering to herself and dragging her finger over the paper slowly. Keith cleared his throat, and she looked up.

"The construction is going fine," he said, knowing she hated it when he beat around the bush. "A few more adjustments, then the weapon will be ready to use whenever we want."

"That's good," she said distractedly and turned back to her map. "If that is all, then I bid you goodnight."

Keith didn't let himself be shot down that easily, and didn't move towards the door. He simply folded his arms over his chest and studied her intently.

"Something bothering you lately?" He asked nonchalantly, hoping that a professional attitude would make her open up a bit more.

"Not anything that you can help me with," she answered without looking up. "Goodnight."

Keith frowned in thought, trying to figure out a new way to approach this. He had hoped that she would be more trusting to him than to his sister, but he really should have known better. This girl hadn't fallen for his façade; she knew exactly what kind of guy he was- where she had him, just as he did with her. Another reason why they managed to work together like this. But to think, even for a moment, that she _trusted _him, had been pure idiocy, Keith realized. After all, he didn't trust her as far as he could throw her. (And he couldn't throw her every far, considering she'd set him on fire before he even had the chance to pick her up_._)

So now he raked his brain for any clues he might have picked up during the journey. What more than her mood had been strange during the last week?

Then it hit him.

"You know," he stated with the same casual tone. "We've been on the road for quite some time now. This trip has certainly taken _a lot_ longer than it should have, don't you think? A little less than a month, right? Usually it doesn't take that long to reach the old forest. We should have been there a while ago."

She froze, and he knew he'd hit the spot right on. Growing a little bolder, Keith took a few steps forward and leaned over the map to get closer to her face.

"Tell me, witch," he said in a low voice, "have you lost track of the sword?"

A short silence passed between them, and then Rebecca looked up at him with a glare in her big eyes. Yet she didn't say anything.

"I think you have," he answered his own question, and even dared throw in a small smirk. Would she torch him for this small insolence? He didn't think so… "It's only fair that you tell me. We're on this little trip together, after all, and if it's going downhill you should at least warn the rest of us."

He didn't say anything more. He could always try threatening to tell the rest of their company, but Rebecca didn't respond well to threats. It was better to just keep quiet and let her think about it. Which she did: he could see the wheels turning in that blond little head of hers.

"You're an annoyingly perceptive man," she said bluntly after a moment, and Keith couldn't help but grin triumphantly. "Not to mention dangerous."

"Thank you," Keith said, assuming it was a compliment. Rebecca only scoffed and looked back down at the map.

"I haven't lost track of the sword," she said. "But it's been _moving_ during the last week. And hopefully, the dragon has been moving with it, because I cannot find the dragon without the sword."

"Moving, huh?" Keith asked, and now took a closer look at the map. He now understood why she was looking at it at all. "Where to?"

"I can't tell an exact spot," Rebecca said. "Only the direction. The link between the sword and its brother- which is in my keeping- is like a _pull_ inside me. My magic draws me towards the other sword, and after looking closer on our course during the last few days, I can tell that it is moving. Look here, for example."

She put a finger on a village they had passed a few days earlier. Keith remembered it because they had stopped there to steal a few women, as well as metal for the harpoon.

"If the sword had stayed put in one place, our route from that village would have been a straight line in this direction," she slid her finger across the map in a diagonal line. "But after looking up a few places we've been passing, I can see that we've been moving like this," she drew her finger in a more bent line, "thus proving that the sword is moving."

"Yeah yeah, I get it," Keith said and leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. "So what we gonna do about it? Will this become a problem?"

"It already _is_ a problem, because we have been thoroughly delayed," Rebecca answered with a frown. "And I can't come up with anything we can do to stop it, other than hope that the prince will stop moving soon. I guess I could send a curse at them or something to stop them, but it'd have to be extremely strong to reach them, and the dragon would be able to spot it miles before it reached them, and put up a protection."

"So what? We just gonna continue this like a wild goose-chase?" Keith could barely believe what he was hearing!

"You've got something better to do?" Rebecca asked. "Some important meeting you have to attend to?" She snorted. "If you thought this would be easy, then you're as stupid as that sister of yours. We might be forced to follow them for _years_! We might be forced to endure terrible conditions, and work harder than you can imagine. But eventually, we_ will _reach them, and when we do, the dragon will be ours to take!"

"We don't have years!" Keith growled.

"Then I suggest you go back to your home and start thinking of another way to take over that throne. Because this mission isn't going to take your time in consideration." She turned her back to him, and Keith knew the discussion was over. "Now I really bid you goodnight. Make sure you sleep well tonight. I want that harpoon finished in two days, tops!"

And Keith, who was a lot smarter (or maybe just more cowardly) than Téa, gritted his teeth, hissed 'of course,' and left.

He had gotten what he wanted: he now knew what was going on with Rebecca.

But it didn't make his mood better in the least.

* * *

The sun was standing low at the horizon, making the whole city glow with an ethereal light so beautiful it would have made the most hardened of men cry. Joey, however, didn't have time for the lovely view. He was crouching down beside Seto's head with a comforting hand on the side of the dragon's face, studying him closely for signs of pain.

Seto had managed to drag himself to one of the streets in the city, where he could lie with his wings stretched out. Mokuba was sitting on the other side of his head, every now and then shooting Joey a worried look that the blond tried to soothe with a smile. Ryou and Yugi were placed on either side of Seto too, but they were standing right beside the tips of his outstretched wings. They were facing each other and had their hands stretched out towards one another, eyes closed in concentration.

Bakura (his whole upper body covered in tight bandages), Malik and Marik were standing beside the broken wing, which was still hanging uselessly in a strange angle. And Yami was standing still in the air right above them with a long, thick, straight branch clutched in his mighty claws. Marik had found it in the woods below the mountain.

The hawk glanced at Yugi and Ryou, who still hadn't moved.

"Make sure to keep the paralyzing-spell light," he reminded them. "We don't want to break anymore bones than already _is_ broken."

Still with their eyes closed, the two boys nodded, and a drop of sweat slipped down Ryou's forehead. Yami turned his blood-red eyes to Seto instead.

"You ready?" he asked in concern.

"Just get it over with," the dragon muttered between gritted teeth, lying stock still.

Yami exchanged a glance with Marik, and the werewolf shrugged.

"You asked for it," he said almost happily, and then, with combined strengths, he and Bakura pulled on the wing, forcing it to spread out into its natural position.

Seto's reaction was immediate and violent. He roared in pain and tried to throw himself away from their insistent hands, but Yugi and Ryou kept him completely unmoving with their paralyzing-spell. Although their frowns deepened as Seto instinctively started to fight it.

Mokuba and Joey leaned in towards his head, murmuring soothing words and caressing his scales gently. Joey's heart ached when he saw the strong dragon's face scrunched up in pain.

"Fuckshitfuckinghell," Seto snarled, and Joey was almost surprised. He had _never_ heard the dragon swear before. At least not like that. Not that he wasn't entitled to swear right now…

"It's okay, it's soon over," Joey tried to comfort and shot a look backwards to where the others were working on his wing. While Bakura and Marik were still keeping it outstretched, Yami lowered the big branch to the right position, and quickly Malik stared wrapping a long silken bandage (formerly known as castle-curtains) around it to keep it in place.

It had been impossible to find a branch big or long enough to keep Seto's _whole_ wing in a splint, therefore Malik had examined the wing closely (he _was_ the brother of a healer, after all) and found the place where it was broken. They would splint as far as they could around it, and then Seto would just have to keep in lifted while it healed.

Soon the wing was completely splinted and wrapped, and Yami, Bakura, Malik and Marik took a step backwards while Ryou and Yugi slowly released Seto from the spell. As soon as it was gone, the dragon started shaking uncontrollably from the pain, but at least he wasn't trying to move.

"That's the best we can do until we can get Isis here," Yami sighed and changed back into his smaller form, flying over to sit on Yugi's shoulder. "It'll keep the wing in place, at least. But we really need to get her here as soon as possible. Broken bones are serious business."

"Are you _sure_ there's nothing Yugi or Ryou can do?" Joey asked, desperate to ease Seto's pain in some way. "They're mages! Surely there's some spell or magic they can-"

"Absolutely not!" Yami cut him off sternly, and behind him Bakura nodded in agreement. "Healing-spells are the most dangerous and difficult form of magic out there, and Yugi and Ryou are not ready for that yet. Worst case scenario they will end up blowing Seto's brains out!"

"Let's not do that," Seto gritted out, taking a deep breath and raising his head from the ground. His blue eyes were foggy from the pain, but he still fixed them stubbornly on Yami. "The plan is still the same, right? You will fly back home alone and get Isis and we will stay here and wait for you?"

"That's right," Yami nodded, but Yugi frowned.

"You should get some sleep, Seto," Ryou told him softly. "I'll cast a sleeping-spell so you'll get away from the pain for a while."

Seto nodded and laid his head back down again. Ryou started whispering something, and they could all feel the air tingle pleasantly as the magic got to work on Seto's mind. Joey watched his dragon with a frown and pained eyes.

"You're in so much pain," he said so softly only Seto heard him, and his hand slid over Seto's face on its own accord. "All just to save me."

"Don't be an idiot: it was worth it," Seto muttered drowsily, and Joey felt something thick and warm spread in his chest, filling him up like cotton. "Now could you please shut up while I pass out?"

"…Yeah… sure… goodnight…" he whispered while blue eyes slid closed. And Joey's hand just kept stroking his face.

"Well, I should leave immediately," Yami said and flapped his wings a few times. "I'll have to fly non-stop if I want to reach home as soon as possible. If the weather and winds are good I can probably make it in three, maybe even two, days."

"Why can't I go with you?" Yugi asked, not at all liking the prospect of being without his mentor and closest friend. "It's dangerous for you, for anyone, to go alone."

"It will be just as dangerous with the both of us, which is exactly why I don't want to bring you. You will be much safer here with all the others. Not to mention that your extra weight will slow me down." He rubbed his feathery cheek to Yugi's in an endearing gesture. "I will be fine, Yugi. A few days, and then we will see each together again, I promise."

"I just don't wanna be where you're not," Yugi confessed softly.

"You know I feel the same way, but we have to do what we have to do," Yami said, but there was something soft in his eyes.

For a long moment amethyst was locked with ruby as the two shared a moment of companionship, but then Malik cleared his throat and Yami looked away.

"Right… off I go," he muttered softly, and with one last look at Yugi he spread his wings and took flight. Within a minute, he was nothing but a small black spot on the afternoon sky. Yugi stared at him until none of them could see him anymore, and even then didn't tear his eyes from the sky. Not until Ryou put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting little smile did he look away.

"Damn," Bakura muttered suddenly, and as they all looked at him questioningly, he turned his back to them. A big red spot had appeared on the white bandages wrapped around his torso. Ryou's face morphed into an expression of worry.

"We'll have to change those," he stated and walked over to the wolf-man, taking his large furry hand. "Let's go." And off they went down the street.

"I'm gonna go burn that asshole now," Marik announced to anyone who bothered listening. "Never got to do it with the dragon's wing and all." His gaze flickered to Malik. "I'll need help carrying the corpse and stuff." He leered, as if he hadn't just been talking about a dead body.

Malik rolled his eyes, and then, to everyone's great surprise, said:

"Fine."

Marik looked just as stunned as the others for a moment, but quickly snapped out of it and grinned widely.

"Then let's go," he purred, and Malik ignored the seductive tone as he followed the werewolf in the direction where the body had been left while they helped Seto.

Yugi turned to Joey and Mokuba, who were still sitting on the ground beside Seto's sleeping form.

"You guys wanna stay here with him?" He asked.

"He shouldn't be alone," Mokuba answered in a small voice. Joey nodded in agreement, and Yugi left in the same direction as Bakura and Ryou.

For a few moments the drakling and teenager sat in silence, petting Seto as if he was a dog, not taking their eyes off of him. Then Joey glanced up at Mokuba, and felt his heart ache again at the lost, worried look he could see in those large, beautiful eyes.

"He's gonna be fine," he assured Mokuba with a gentle yet confident smile. "Seto's strong, and Yami will get Isis here as soon as he can. You'll see; in a week we will probably be sitting at home, telling everyone about this and laughing as we do."

Mokuba looked at least a little more cheerful.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he said and nuzzled Seto's cheek. Then he looked up at Joey again. "Joey?"

"Mm?"

"I'm glad you're here."

Joey blinked. Whatever he had been expecting Mokuba to say, it wasn't that. But the little dragon had apparently said everything he wanted to, because he curled up with his head close to Seto's and let his eyes slip shut. After a moment Joey snapped out of it. He decided to shrug it off and let a small smile spread over his face. He leaned over to pat the drakling on the head.

"So am I, kid."

* * *

As the red-hot flames licked at the dry branches and rotting flesh inside the fire-place, a disgusting smell spread through the forest and rose towards the dark night-sky. Marik could hear birds and animals flee as it reached their noses: it reminded them of death, no doubt. It is strange how much stronger the stench of burnt flesh is compared to normal smoke.

Strange feelings awoke inside Marik when he breathed in that smell. The animal part of him feared it just as much as all the other creatures of the forest, the human part was simply disgusted by it, and the last part… a dark part of him… wanted to scream. He could still see it sometimes in his dreams; his so called 'pack-mates' throwing what were left of his mother's body into the flames to keep them alive, not caring about the absolutely disgusting odour it created.

But he quickly pushed those thoughts away. It was a long time ago, and he had gotten his revenge. No point in thinking about it: it'd only drive him even crazier.

"That smell is disgusting," a familiar voice grumbled from beside him, and Marik looked away from the flames (which were just starting to work on Anubis' skull) to grin at the sex-on-legs sitting beside him. He leaned in to the younger man.

"You can smell me instead if you want," he purred in the other's ear, but was roughly pushed away.

"No _thanks_," Malik glared with those beautiful eyes. "You stink too."

"I'll have you know I smell of masculinity," Marik answered, his leer not disappearing for a moment. He shuffled closer again. "Don't hide it; I _know_ you think I'm sexy! We can smell each other if you want!"

"Get away from me!" Malik threw a punch at his face, which Marik just barely managed to dodge.

"Aw, come on!" Marik's eyes narrowed. "You can't still be mad at me for running away the other night! I've already apologized for that!"

"It's not that, you pervert!" Malik said, but the blush on his face told the exact opposite.

"You know why I ran!" Marik continued to whine. "I can't help that my instincts suddenly just took over! The whole thing was just too hot, and that's what I am! I could've ended up ripping your throat out, and I don't think either of us would've been too satisfied with that!" This time he _pounced_, throwing his arms around Malik in a clumsy hug, securing the younger man's arms to his sides. He nuzzled one smooth cheek, and couldn't help but sigh contently. The boy smelled like heaven!

"Can't we just forget that and try again?!"

"No! I don't want…! Tell me about _that_ guy instead," Malik snapped and managed to wiggle free, pushing him away for the third time. He nodded at the corpse in the fire. "Who the hell was he?"

It was a pathetic attempt at changing the subject, but Marik's mood was quickly dampened by that question. He gave Malik's cheek a quick lick before shuffling away.

"Right… you weren't around when that whole thing went down, were you?" He said and scratched his head. "Well, it's a long story."

Malik wiped his cheek, looking both embarrassed and angry at the same time, then turned to stare into the flames. Marik noticed that he didn't look quite as disgusted by the burning body as he should have been.

"Tell me."

And Marik did. He decided that he might as well tell the boy everything (it was only fair; if he was going to make the kid his mate he'd at least know what he was getting himself into) and for some strange reason, it was easier to tell Malik than it had been to tell the others. Maybe it was because he had already done it once, or maybe because this was _Malik_, but either way, the words flowed out of him like a river, and it didn't bother him at all.

He told Malik about his so called 'childhood', about his mother, about her murder. He told him about the werewolf who sired him, about Anubis, about his promise to get his revenge. And then he told him about how Yugi and Ryou had been kidnapped, and how they had all ran off to save them. He told Malik how he had used his own bare hands to slaughter members of his own 'family', and he told him about Anubis' obsession with Joey. Lastly, he told him how the others had accepted him, despite his insanity.

He felt strangely empty when he was done, and the two sat in silence for a while. After a while Malik leaned back and raked a hand thorough his own hair.

"Wow…" he said. "That's… quite a story. I've never really wondered where the hell you came from before."

"Hmmm," Marik purred and leaned in again, sliding an arm around Malik's waist. "I figured as much. You've been too busy fighting your own raging lust and gawking at my hot body, haven't you?"

This time Malik pushed him with such force that he feel of the large fallen tree-trunk they were sitting on. Unfortunately, Marik's hand came a little too close to the flames as he tried to regain his balance, and the werewolf ended up jumping back onto the bole, hissing and clutching his burned hand.

"Damnit!" He swore and stuck his fingers in his mouth.

Before Malik could stop it, a malicious giggle had escaped his lips.

The werewolf froze and turned to look at him with his sharp violet eyes, and warning-bells went off in Malik's head.

Injured fingers completely forgotten now, Marik pointed at him with a smirk.

"Aha! Finally the little sadist comes out! I knew there was something evil inside you somewhere!"

"Shut up!" Malik said with another glare. "You deserved it!"

"Admit it! You're just as much of a pervert as I am, beneath that iron mask you've forced onto yourself! I bet you're kinky too! Would you like to tie me up to a tree or something, and have your wicked way with me? Or maybe the other way around? Tell me what you want, baby!"

"Why are you so hell-bent on turning me into some kind of sex-maniac?!" Malik screamed, ignoring the pooling heat in his lower stomach that the words had caused. He wasn't turned on! He wasn't, goddamnit! That make out-session on the island was a one-time thing! He wasn't attracted to this moron!

"I'm not trying to turn you into anything," Marik growled and for the hundredth time that night tried to get close. This time, Malik slid backwards, away from him. There was just something in his eyes… "I'm trying to bring out what's already there. What's always been there! It's well hidden, I give you that much, but it's time to show who you really are. Stop fighting… stop hiding!"

"I don't understand what you mean!"

"Oh, _please_!" Marik rolled his eyes, growing impatient now. He wanted this boy, and he'd been waiting for way too long already! "You have certain tendencies, Malik. I knew it from the moment I saw you. You're not evil, but there _is_ a darkness inside you… something you have to hide for some unknown reason."

Malik swallowed and stared stubbornly into the fire, feeling his insides freeze. How could this guy… what the hell was this?!

Marik, knowing what his words were doing to the boy, took this opportunity to shuffled closer, and pressed his body to Malik's side, nuzzling his cheek. Even confused and shocked, this boy was the personification of all Marik's sexual dreams.

"Must be hard…" he murmured darkly, feeling a shiver run through the boy. "Acting like something you're not... even in front of you beloved sister… never letting go and being yourself… that's why you travel so much, isn't it? So that you can get away, get some kind of escape for all that energy and all those feelings you keep bottled up. But Malik… my beautiful little pet... aren't you tried of it?"

"H-how can you know all this?" Malik rasped and hated himself for stuttering. "You can't… possibly be this good at reading people…"

A dark, sexy chuckle.

"I'm not…" the werewolf whispered, and a rough hand turned Malik's face to look directly into the other's eyes. "But I _do_ know myself… and we are way too much alike."

Malik swallowed again, and felt something inside… something which felt suspiciously like a chain, rattle and creak; a weak link starting to give in.

"I don't… I don't want my sister to hate me," he whispered, and didn't know why he felt so weak all of a sudden. "My family… my parents were always… they never understood… and Isis… I have to act… I can't live without her…"

And Marik somehow understood. He smiled his sexiest smile, loving the way Malik trembled, and leaned in.

"Then… I'll be your escape," he husked and licked the boys shaking lips. "I promise not to tell anyone."

Malik's eyes widened, and then slid shut on their own accord when the werewolf kissed him hungrily, roughly.

_Crack_!

The mental chain broke, and Malik threw his arms around that strong neck and held on, opening his mouth wide.

It was just as rough, just as violent, just as _hot_ as it had been that night on the island. Malik had missed it. He'd been dreaming of it, ever since that night. Secretly, he's been afraid that something like that would never happen again. That he'd have to live on dreams and fantasies for the rest of his life. But Marik had been just as persistent, hadn't given up, and even when Malik had been furious with him, he had been relieved, because the werewolf still _wanted _him!

And now, finally, Malik could be honest with his subconscious.

He wanted Marik too!

Lips locked together tightly, they didn't even notice when they fell over backwards, landing on the damp forest-floor behind the tree-trunk. The fire kept burning merrily while Malik's clothes started to fly. Malik allowed the werewolf to tear at his garments as much as he wanted, and instead settled for urging the larger male on with soft whimpers and growls. He was an animal again, and instincts were controlling him.

_He's strong and sexy; such a fine specimen_, the instincts whispered. _He'll take such good care of you. He'll make it soooo good! He'll protect you, he'll be your leader, your alpha, and he wants you as his beta._

"Yesss… M-Marik…" Malik managed to hiss greedily as hot lips latched on to his throat and clever hands snuck inside his pants, closing around him. "Marik… be my… escape… take care of me… please…"

The werewolf's hand disappeared from his erection, and he raised himself up on one hand, looking down on the younger man with glowing eyes. Suddenly Malik got flashbacks for the other night… when Marik had left him. An irrational fear gripped him, and he closed his legs around the other's powerful hips and squeezed. He groaned both in pleasure and fear.

"Take care of you?" Marik husked and tore his own shirt off. Malik couldn't take his eyes off his well-defined, scarred chest. "I'll take care of you alright. I'll take care of you for so long… so hard… in the end you'll be nothing but a limp rag-doll for me to do as I please with. Oh yes, I'll take care of you… trust me…"

And Malik did. For the first time in his life he just lay back, spread his arms and legs, closed his eyes…

And trusted.

* * *

Joey silently wondered how he had been able to miss the statue. Okay, so it _was_ hidden inside one of the city's houses, standing in the middle of the entrance hall, but still: it was so beautiful it was a miracle no one in their gang had seen it before. Not only was it big (_huge_), but it was also one of the few statues in the city which weren't made of ivory. This one was a magnificent mix between gold and what looked like black onyx.

The statue was of two dragons: a golden one, and a black one. The golden one was slender and elegant, standing with its wings spread wide and head held high. Strong and beautiful, like a warrior. The black one was a bit bigger, standing so closely pressed to the golden that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the next began; _despite_ the difference in colour. It had one of its large wings wrapped protectively around the golden, and really only looked like a large shadow, a mysterious protector.

Joey didn't know for how long he had just stood there and looked. It was so beautiful… like everything else in this empty, tragic city. He wondered what it meant; he'd realized that most of the things in this city had a purpose, even the statues. This one surely had some great legend about it too.

Making a mental note that he would have to ask Seto about it later, Joey walked across the floor and sat down close to the foot of the statue, leaning his back against it. He'd left the Seto and Mokuba sleeping on the street because he needed to think… something he hadn't had much time to do since that same morning.

Now that he allowed himself to think about it, Joey felt his whole body starting to shake and sweat. He had been kidnapped, almost-raped, almost-murdered, and had almost committed suicide (although he hadn't in any way intended to die when he'd pushed himself off the balcony). And as if that wasn't enough, Seto could have died too. The dragon was one lucky bastard; they had all agreed that it could have been a lot worse than a broken wing. Still… it _was_ Joey's fault…

_Don't be an idiot: it was worth it__. _

Those words still warmed him. It was the best compliment Seto could ever give him. Because Joey had understood what Seto meant. He understood…

Seto thought he was worth _dying_ for…

And Joey didn't doubt it for a second; he knew Seto pretty well by now, and the dragon didn't do things in half.

It was a scary feeling… knowing someone else was ready to sacrifice their life for him. Sure, his mom and sister and grandfather would probably do it too (the gods knew Joey would for them!) but Joey had never thought of it that way. They had never been in a situation where it was required.

But Seto had really _thrown himself off a balcony_ for Joey!

There really weren't any words needed there. Joey just hoped he was worthy of such a privilege. He wanted to be… but he wasn't too sure. This whole thing with Anubis… he had been so scared and helpless… and he had felt so weak.

They had won. Anubis was truly dead now, and Joey felt an indescribable relief knowing that, but at the same time the monster wasn't gone. Joey could still clearly hear his voice… feel his touch and breath… and just the thought made his whole being tremble. He felt so weak and helpless in the face of those memories, and it pissed him off! He was stronger than that! At least… he had _thought_ he was stronger than that.

"Joey?"

The blond's head snapped up at the sound of that dark voice, and it was with a little surprise that he answered:

"Seto?"

The dragon's head became visible in the opening to the building, and his sharp eyes immediately spotted Joey. He raised an eyebrow.

"So this is where you're hiding. No wonder I couldn't find you."

"You've been looking?" Joey asked, feeling his surprise grow. "You were worried?"

"Of course not," Seto answered coolly, but there was something in his voice which said otherwise. He stepped into the building, holding his broken wing high. The splint looked pretty good, according to Joey.

"How're you feeling?" He asked as Seto walked over to sit in front of him. He didn't seem to have any problems at all with moving around, though he took great care so that his wing wouldn't hit or brush anything.

"As good as one can expect," Seto answered evenly. "Yugi cast some kind of spell to make the pain lessen a little. It still hurts, but not as much."

"I'm surprised you're up and running already," Joey confessed. "Thought you'd be out for a while."

"It was a measly sleeping-spell," Seto said, then: "What are you doing here?"

"Thinking," Joey answered, and noticed how Seto's eyes darkened a little in worry. "What's this statue?" he asked quickly, knowing the dragon was going to ask if he was alright or something like that. He… really didn't want to talk about it right now.

Seto seemed to get the hint, because he didn't say anything more about it, just looked up at the statue, and raised an eyebrow.

"The Golden Dragon," he muttered. "One of our oldest legends."

"Tell me!" Joey urged, feeling his dragon-interest awaken. Seto shot him an amused glance.

"It's mostly a children's tale."

"But I wanna know!"

Seto smirked a little, and then slowly sat down beside Joey, careful with his wing. "Well," he started. "It's said that the queen of gods created our world, and all the creatures in it. She made the dragons, mages, witch masters and humans the four most powerful clans: those who would rule all other races, and then gave each of them a protector. In our case, it was The Golden Dragon: Ra."

Joey was listening completely transfixed. He absolutely _loved _all of these legends that Seto could tell. During his stay with the white dragon, he had realized just how little he knew about the powerful clan. But he was dead-set on learning more!

"It is said," Seto continued, "that The Golden Dragon will appear in our darkest hour and live among us, as one of us. And when The Dragon finds its mate, its one true love," he pointed at the large shadow-dragon wrapped around the golden one, "our kind will be restored to its former glory."

He looked down at Joey with a smirk.

"Pretty romantic, isn't it? When I was just a drakling, all the girls loved that legend. Whenever our mentor brought it up during lessons they were always completely enthralled, cooing and gushing over it like a punch of lovesick doves."

Joey chuckled.

"Typical girls! I bet Serenity would have _loved_ that legend!"

Seto smiled back at him before standing up again.

"Now that I know where you are, I will go and find Yugi. I think the spell is starting to wear off, I'll need him to renew it."

"I'll go with you," Joey said and stood up, feeling better now. It was strange how Seto's very presence did that. "I'm done thinking anyway."

"Giving up? Is it too hard?"

"Very funny, Lizard-boy!"

Seto had just opened his mouth to answer when his whole body froze, his eyes widened a fraction and he looked around. The playfulness was gone in the blink of an eye.

"What's wrong?" Joey asked.

"That sound…"

"What sou-" Joey cut himself off when he too heard it. It was like a steady, dark humming. It had been weak, almost soundless before, but now it was steadily rising in volume. Joey could feel his whole body vibrate softly in time with that humming.

"What the hell is _that_?"

But Seto hadn't heard him. He was already marching out of the house and down the street, so fast Joey couldn't keep up.

"Seto!" He called, and next thing he knew, and agile tale snuck around his waist and lifted him up, and Joey was carried down the street after Seto.

They found Bakura, Ryou, Yugi and Mokuba sitting outside the house where they had left of all their stuff once everyone had gotten down from the castle. Bakura was clutching his pointed ears, snarling angrily while Ryou tried to calm him down, afraid that he'd bleed through his bandages again.

"What the fuck is that fucking sound?!" He snarled as welcome.

"We have to get out of here," Seto answered as his tail put Joey down in the ground. The humming was getting loud now.

"Now?!" Ryou asked with wide eyes. "But our stuff-"

"Leave them!" Seto snapped. "The city is preparing itself to _move_. That humming you're hearing is the sound of the magic getting ready."

"It's gonna move?!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Well, shit!" Bakura snarled, and suddenly he had lifted Ryou up bridal style. He shot the rest of them a look. "Move your asses!"

And then he took off down the street, Ryou's loud protests drenched in the humming.

"Mokuba, take Yugi and get out!" Seto ordered in his disobey-me-and-you'll-regret-it-dearly voice.

"But Seto-" Mokuba protested.

"We will make it, don't worry!" Seto told him, and for the first time Joey heard him use a sharp tone on the drakling. "Move it!"

Poor Mokuba had no choice but to let Yugi climb onto his back and take off, throwing worried glances at his brother over his shoulder. Joey quickly climbed onto Seto's back and leaned a little to the side so that he'd be able to look at the dragon's profile.

"Let's see how fast you can run," he said with a smirk. Seto just snorted and took off down the street in the same direction as Bakura.

Streets, statues and buildings flew by as they ran, and all the time, the humming was there, filling their ears, making it almost impossible to hear anything else. Joey's body was vibrating violently from the sound now, and he could feel Seto doing the same beneath him. The air seemed to be crackling, the magic making his skin tingle. Seto rounded a corner, lengthened his steps, accelerating even more, and Joey realized that he could indeed run fast!

Fast enough? Joey prayed that the answer would be yes.

For a while the whole world consisted of nothing but the white buildings swishing by and the humming in his ears, but then Joey could see an end to the street: it ended abruptly in dirt and pebbles, and waiting for them there were Mokuba, Yugi, Bakura and Ryou. As soon as the four saw them, all of them except Bakura began yelling and jumping up and down as if Seto was participating in a race and they were his supporters.

The magic was so strong now that Joey felt as if someone was sticking a thousand tiny needles into his skin. His vision was getting foggy from all the vibrations the humming caused.

Ten metres away now! Mokuba looked like he wanted to run and meet them, but stubbornly dug his claws into the dirt beneath him. Even Bakura looked expectant.

Five metres away Seto's broken wing accidentally brushed against a wall. It was the lightest of touch, but Seto gave a tiny yelp and faltered, before picking up speed again.

Two metres…

A flash of bright light, an explosion of static electricity, the humming reaching its climax…

And then Seto and Joey crossed the city-line and came to a screeching halt in the middle of a deep forest. A rabbit rushed away from them at full speed, scared half to death. Birds chirped in the trees. Mokuba, Yugi, Ryou and Bakura were nowhere to be found.

Seto hadn't been fast enough.

**THAT'S RIGHT! NO MARIK/MALIK LEMON FOR YOU! I'M NOT READY TO LET GO OF MY T-RATING JUST YET! XD**

**The most interesting thing happened to me last week. Or well… not so much interesting as ironic…**

**Mom told me I had to help her paint the house, and being the mama's girl I am, I obeyed. And since mom's a bit lazy and I'm a bit whipped, she told me I had to paint the top of the house… y'know- the part right under the roof. **

**So there I was, standing at the top of a metal ladder with a paintbrush in one hand and a bucket of white paint in the other, and my mp3 blaring in my ears. **

**And suddenly, out of nowhere, one of my friends comes driving by, and being the nice guy he is, he decides to honk the horn. And Jupiter, a spaz, and a klutz at that, is caught completely by surprise, tries to turn around…**

…**and ends up falling. Off. The ladder. **

**For your information: our house has got three floors. And I was standing at the top of the ladder. T.T**

**To make a long, painful story short: I broke my leg.**

**So for the last few days, I've been lying on the couch eating painkillers, sleeping and working on this chapter. **

**It sucks. **

**Yeah, that's all I wanted to say. My life is so absolutely sucky right now that I just wanted everyone to know. FEEL MY PAIN!! **

**Ahem… moving on now…**

**Thanks to: **

**Deme, Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey maker, mandapandabug, Silver Hunteress, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, SetsuUzumaki, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, ****ArrowSphere, The Blonde Midget, casaragi, Astrael's Get, Assassin of the Shadows, shing, me, ONIX-21, Coconut Kazuo, Nora D, Misster Cackles, rubisora18117, Machan, usually too lazy, Hi Kitsune, RinkyPink, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, tommy2.0, KoiinuNe, melodyz07, Reincarnated Rat, Searafina, jenni Imouto, S.A.M.Thedragongirl, AzhureSapphire, nadkaz, Novelist Pup, BatNeko, Kitty Kat2009, firedraygon, Melipapaya, Silver Star Celine, pennypigeon, Silver Tears 11, Dragonmaiden007, Flopples, kekame, midnight-whisper3, Makoto-Elena, Hadrian, SongSwifteye, Liztheyaioaddict, VampireCountess, Iona, TheOtherWorldliNess, manga magirekomu, SuGaR-oN-ToP and ylc**

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**I think this is actually the most dramatic things that's ever happened to me. Both the reviews and the leg! --;**

**Okay, I'm done now! Please review!**

**R&R!! **


	23. The thing with relationships

Chapter twenty-two: The thing with relationships

"You're staring."

Tristan jumped and tore his eyes away from the sight of Duke talking animatedly with one of the castle guards on the other side of the ball-room. His gaze landed on the blonde girl with big blue eyes who was standing in front of his own table with her hands on her hips, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. She was dressed in a simple blue dress and an apron, and was tapping her foot against the floor expectantly. He frowned in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Duke… you've been staring at him since before I came up here to get you. I thought you were supposed to help me with the kitchen fire-place! I've been waiting!"

"Oh, right," he gave a sheepish little smile and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Amanda."

She made a small, irritated sound and rolled her eyes, but then grinned and let her hands fall from her hips.

"No problem," she said with a wink. "That job is boring as hell anyway."

Tristan couldn't help but smile in amusement. Amanda was a few years younger than him; the daughter of one of the maids in the castle. She and Serenity had been close friends as kids, and Tristan had always liked the girl. She wasn't as stuck up as many of the noble children, who thought they were so much better than the common people. More than once Tristan had gotten comments from people because his mother worked in the kitchen and his father was some nameless one-night-stand. It didn't bother him all that much anymore; he knew nobles were jerks. Of course, Joey and Serenity were the exceptions to that rule. And Duke… maybe…

"So," Amanda said and plopped down in the chair next to his own. She didn't look like she was going back to the kitchen anytime soon. "How's life among the hot shots?"

"Stressful," Tristan said, and a sudden laugh from the other side of the room made him turn his head to look at Duke again. The unknown soldier was leaning over the table Duke was sitting by, completely ignoring the documents on it, and trying to get as close to the beautiful lord as he could. Tristan immediately felt like picking up a bow and arrow and shoot the guy in the head.

"There… there's so much to do around here, and with Joey gone and all…" he forgot what he was about to say when Duke tilted his head back and stretched his neck, _almost_ kissing the guy.

"Somehow I don't think that's the only thing you're worried about," Amanda said with a strange glint in her eyes. She followed Tristan's gaze to the table on the other side of the room. "He's only teasing, you know. Bet he's just waiting for you to march over there and sweep him off his feet, then march off to your room to make hot passionate love."

"He seems to have his hands full," Tristan answered darkly. Not even a second later his head whipped around and he stared at her wide-eyed. "Wait, _what did you just say_?!"

Amanda leered at him.

"I'm good at this stuff," she said and pointed at herself with her thumb. "It's obvious you want each other. Personally I think it's damn hot! If you _do_ run over there as sweep him off his feet, you won't see me complaining!"

Tristan's jaw hit the floor and made a break for it, and Amanda giggled.

"What? You didn't think anyone knew? You two argue like an old married couple, and the sexual tension is almost ridiculous! Just confess already!"

Somehow, the brunette managed to pull himself together and looked down at his hands to hide his blush.

"How… how many people know?"

"Oh, just me and some other girls! We've been discussing it," Amanda said with another wolfish leer.

"Nice to know my love-life has been completely exposed," Tristan muttered and felt embarrassed down to his toes.

"It's not that bad. No one's got proof… except me of course," Amanda tried to console despite the shit-eating grin still on her face. "But seriously, talk to him. I think he likes you back. I don't know why you're not talking to each other now, but you're friends, right?"

Tristan looked over at the other table and couldn't help but glare as the soldier raised a hand and pushed one of Duke's long, ebony locks out of his face. He clenched his hands into shaking fists when Duke leaned into the touch with a coy smile.

"Just for show, I'm sure!" Amanda said hastily when she too saw the gesture. She patted Tristan on the shoulder. "He's Duke, he liked to flirt, no big deal!"

Tristan wished he could agree with her. He wished he could believe what she was saying, push the jealousy aside and talk to Duke. If nothing else, he at least wanted the emerald-eyed boy back as a friend!

But he knew that Duke wasn't just doing all this flirting for show. His own room was right next to Duke's. And he had heard, night after night for the last week, that the young lord wasn't exactly _sleeping_ in there. Oh no, he was too busy with the hordes of girls and guys he screwed every night. Tristan didn't doubt for a moment that that nameless guy would be his next conquest.

He didn't know _where_ this sudden change had come from. Sure, Duke had always been flirt, but he had _never_ been a slut…. And sure; things had been a little awkward since their almost-kiss in the kitchen all those weeks ago, but at least they had still been talking to each other! Now, just a few days ago, Duke had started avoiding him like the plague, and after a talk with Serenity, Tristan had found out that she was getting the same treatment. It drove him insane! Well… _that_, and this terrible, terrible jealousy.

"_Tristan_!"

The knight looked up at Amanda, who was regarding him with a worried and at the same time amused look in her eyes. He blinked.

"Huh?"

"You were abusing that poor pen so much I felt I had to say something."

Looking down at his hand, he realized that he was indeed holding a pen, and the poor thing was going to snap at any moment. He immediately let it go, and instead hid his face in his hands.

"It's hopeless."

Amanda patted him on the shoulder and was just about to answer when something caught her eye. Before Tristan knew it, she had dived under the table and hid by his feet.

"Darn," she muttered. "Your mum's here!"

Looking up at the doorway, Tristan realized that his mother, who was also the kitchen-mistress, had indeed entered the room and seemed to be looking around for something. It was a short, pudgy woman in her late forties, known for her temper and the iron fist with which she ruled her kitchen. It was wise of Amanda to fear her.

"She told me to clean the floor and I snuck away to find you instead! She's gonna kill me! Is she looking over here?"

"Yeah," Tristan said as his mother waved at him with a smile. "But she hasn't seen you."

"Good! But now I really have to go!" Amanda said and crawled on all four under the table. But before she snuck off between a pair of construction-workers, she looked up at Tristan and patted his knee, since she couldn't reach his shoulder.

"My advice: talk to him! It'll help!"

Then she snuck away as quickly as she could, but Tristan saw that his mother caught sight of her and stalked after the girl. Smiling a little in amusement, knowing it was useless to warn Amanda, he shook his head and looked back over at Duke.

The young man had stood up and was just about to leave the room. But before he did, he stood up on his tip-toes and whispered something in the soldier's ear. A wolfish grin immediately spread over the other man's face. It made him look extremely ugly in Tristan's opinion.

Than Duke was walking across the floor and out the door, and Tristan immediately hurried after him. He didn't give himself time to think about it, because he knew that if he did, he'd chicken out. And what harm could it do to follow Amanda's advice? It couldn't get worse than it already was!

He caught up with the ebony-haired male a few corridors later and when he grabbed the other's wrist small tingles spread through his hand and crept up his arm. He'd missed that feeling; it had been too long since Tristan had touched the other boy. And when Duke turned around and Tristan looked straight into deep emeralds of green, he almost let out a girlish sigh of longing.

"Tristan?" Duke's voice sounded confused, but it was as sweet as ever. Tristan had missed him. _Missed him_! And they hadn't even been away from each other! It was ridiculous how besotted he was.

Suddenly Tristan realized he was staring at the other, and he opened his mouth to say something.

"I… um… uh…" _Yeah… good work!_ _NOT!_

Duke bit his lip, and Tristan wanted to do it for him.

"You… you wanted to talk to me?"

What was that in his eyes? Some kind of light… It looked like anticipation or… _hope_. But why…?

"Tristan?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Okay, that hadn't come out like he wanted it to, but damnit, he wasn't used to this!

Duke looked surprised, offended, and a little… disappointed.

"There's nothing _wrong_ with me!" He said and pulled his wrist out of Tristan's grip. "What's wrong with _you_?"

"Me? I'm fine! I'm not the one switching bed-mates every night!"

Damnit, why did he say that?! This definitely wasn't how he wanted this conversation to go!

Now Duke started to look angry.

"That's none of your business," he stated coldly and turned to leave. Tristan felt desperation well up inside him, and he opened his mouth to stop him, to apologize-

"It almost makes one think that you don't even _care _that Joey's gone anymore. You seem to be having such a good time without him."

_Fuck._

Duke spun back around and glared at him in pure rage.

"_How dare you_!" He hissed maliciously. "How dare you say that to me?! At least I'm not sneaking around as if I'm ashamed of what I do! That's more than I can say about you!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Tristan too was getting mad now. Or maybe it was just the pent up jealousy from last week that was making itself known.

"How's it going with Serenity, _Tris_?" Duke asked venomously.

"Serenity? What's Serenity got to do with anything?!" Where the hell was this going?

"Oh please!" Duke rolled his eyes. "Have you gotten to first base yet? She's such a good girl; it would really surprise me if she let you touch her at all. Aren't you getting tired of waiting? No blue-balls?"

"Serenity's got nothing to do with this," Tristan objected, surprised by all of this. What was Duke talking about?! "Besides, I don't even like-"

"Serenity's got _everything_ to do with this!" Duke almost screamed with burning eyes, and then…

Then he threw himself at Tristan and slammed their lips together.

_HOLY FUCKING SHIT!_

Tristan didn't have much time to react before Duke had slammed him up against the wall, hands fisted in the front of his shirt and lips and tongue pressing insistently against his own. Half a second later his instincts kicked in. Adrenaline surged through the brunette's body, and he flipped them over, so that he was the one pressing Duke to the wall.

He had wanted this for so long… dreamt of it for so many years, and now when it was finally happening some primitive part of Tristan's mind was screaming at him to hold on and never let go. He wanted to rip Duke's clothes off and have his way with him right there where they were standing… make him beg… make him scream the way he had heard him do so many times in the last few nights. Only this time the cries wouldn't be muffled by a stupid wall, and he'd be the one causing them…

Sadly, even _he_ understood that that wasn't going to happen, but damnit if he was gonna stop the make out-session just because of that!

Breaking the kiss for a moment, giving the raven-haired male a chance to breathe, Tristan's hands quickly slid to the other's ass, and before the young lord had time to react he had been hoisted up off the ground and pressed even harder to the wall. Instinctively he wound his legs around the larger brunette's waist.

Duke would have laughed in glee if he wasn't so busy gasping for breath, and then Tristan was kissing him again.

It was the knight who was in control of the kiss this time, and quite frankly, Duke like it that way! Those lips were just so hot, and even if Tristan wasn't the _best_ kisser Duke had ever come across, he sure as hell made up for it with enthusiasm and passion. Besides; Duke would just have to give him a few lessons in the noble art of tongue-war, and he'd be fine!

For a few minutes they stayed like that, locked together, only making brief pauses to make sure they wouldn't pass out from lack of oxygen, then they were locked together again. They couldn't get enough; wanted more touch and heat and closeness. Duke's hands found their way to Tristan's short hair, and the knight's large hands, which were still holding on firmly to Duke's behind, started massaging his cheeks in appreciation as the lord's fingers rubbed over his scalp. It just felt so damn good.

At last Tristan pulled away for a little longer, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against Duke's so that they could both breathe _properly _for a little while. Kissing was great, but you couldn't live without air forever.

After a short moment of silence Tristan raised his head again and opened his eyes, staring straight into dark, heavy-lidded emeralds.

Duke was smirking.

What…?

"It was easier than I thought," he murmured and breathed hot air all over Tristan's face. When he saw the question in dazed brown eyes he added: "I thought you would be hard to seduce, what with Serenity and everything. Looks like _you_ are easier than any of my former conquests."

Tristan blinked in confusion for a moment, then his hazy brain managed to put two and two together and come up with what _he_ thought was four.

Duke had chosen the completely wrong word.

_Conquest._

Tristan saw red.

"You _whore_!" He hissed and let go of Duke, almost dropping him on his ass if it hadn't been for the wall behind the lord's back. Wide green eyes stared up into furious brown ones.

"I thought we… at least friends… you…" Tristan closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were dark from fury and hurt.

"Disgusting," he said venomously, wanting to hurt Duke like he had just been hurt. He had thought that something had finally happened between them. That he might have -_finally_- gotten the love of his life, here in the middle of the corridor- in the middle of a fight! And not even a minute later he finds out Duke was just playing a game. Always with the games!

"All those rumours were true," he continued. "You really are nothing but a slut ready to spread his legs to anyone! I didn't want to believe it, but now I know it's true." He turned his back to the other man after catching a glimmer of hurt in his eyes. Because even if he wanted to hurt Duke, he hated seeing that injured look in his eyes.

"I can't look at you right now."

He walked away.

And Duke… Duke stared at his retreating back until it was out of sight, then he slid to the floor, pulled his knees up to his chin and sighed brokenly.

Why did he have to fuck up everything?!

* * *

As Marik was shrugging on his shirt, warm fingers danced up his arm teasingly, and he couldn't stop a shiver from wracking his body. It was incredible how aware of every touch he was now. Or well… _his _touch at least. Turning around he watched as his little mate stared at his bare torso with heavy-lidded violet eyes, and those clever fingers just kept on exploring his skin, as if it was new territory, as if they hadn't been doing that all night!

"What? Four times wasn't enough for you?" Marik asked, even though he could already feel his body harden again.

"I don't think I'll ever get enough," Malik answered absentmindedly and suddenly decided that his lips and Marik's collarbone should meet. It was love at first touch, and the rest of Marik's body immediately demanded to be introduced to those lips too. It was such a nice pair of lips; they should have lots of friends! "You know it wasn't just sex, right?"

"Nope, it was mind-blowing, knee-shaking, nerve-wrecking, super uber incredible and out of this world sex," Marik answered with a leer.

"Agreed," Malik purred and pressed himself closer to the werewolf, sliding lips over his shoulder and hands over his chest. Said chest and shoulder cackled in glee, taunting and teasing the lower regions with all the attention they were receiving. "Let's do it again."

Who was Marik to argue? Malik would be the one with a hurting ass, and since he was the one taking the initiative, Marik could just go for it!

But he hadn't done more than bend down to ravish Malik's lips and tear his shirt (which he had just put on minutes earlier) off again when someone behind them cleared his throat. Marik broke away from Malik with a small impatient sigh.

"What do you want, wolf?"

"While we've been running for our lives to get out of the city before it moved, while Seto and the human disappeared and the others are worried sick, you two have been screwing each other's brains out," Bakura stated as he walked into the glade where they were standing. He cocked his head to the side and glared. "I am _so_ jealous of you right now."

Malik took a step away from Marik, and the werewolf could only watch sadly as his mate put the mask back in place. Gone was his wild sex-partner, replaced by the polite but distant control-freak he had been wooing since he met him.

"What did you say has happened?" Malik asked and turned to Bakura with a frown.

"I'll tell you on the way," Bakura said and turned to walk away. "We've put up a camp further up the mountain; all we can do right now is wait for Yami and Isis to come back. Hopefully Seto will try to contact us while we wait." The wolf gave a heavy sigh. "This is such a pain in the ass. As soon as we get home, me and Ryou are never leaving the village again."

Malik made a move to follow him, but suddenly Marik grabbed his hand and pulled him close to his chest, wrapping arms around his waist. The werewolf was pleased when Malik didn't struggle against him, despite the mask he was wearing. He simply looked up at Marik with those beautiful violet eyes that seemed to hold so much anticipation.

And Marik knew what he wanted. He leaned down and kissed him. It wasn't gentle and loving, but neither was it rough or lust-filled. It was just deep. Deep and searing; as if Marik was asking for Malik's soul. And the blond boy was answering him eagerly. Marik's tongue swept into Malik's mouth almost lazily, pushing against and touching everything, knowing every sensitive spot that made Malik whimper. Malik opened his lips even more; giving Marik complete control of the kiss. His hands were fisted in Marik's still open shirt.

The kiss ended with a wet smacking sound, and for a moment a small trail of saliva hung between their panting lips before breaking. Marik's dark, half-lidded eyes met Malik's dazed orbs, and he smirked.

"What we did tonight," he husked, feeling Malik shiver. "We'll be doing again as soon as possible… except with ropes… and a whip."

Malik swallowed thickly and was just about ready to crumble at Marik's feet. Sadly, Bakura interrupted them.

"Do you mind?!" he snapped exasperatedly. "Swap spit sometime when I'm not nearby."

"You're just jealous because you can't do that too," Marik answered and dragged Malik over to where Bakura was standing.

If Marik noticed the way Bakura's eyes darkened at those words, and the way he turned his back coldly, he didn't say anything.

"Come on, let's go. A lot happened while you were '_burning Anubis' body_'_._"

The three trotted away from the place, leaving silence in their wake. All that was left was the dead fireplace, in which Anubis' ashes still lay. Soon, they would be blown away by the wind, lost forever to time.

* * *

The three fireballs hanging in the air in front of Seto were glowing strangely. One was blue, one was green, and one was the traditional red. The white dragon studied all three intently for a moment and whispered something in an unknown language, and they flared once, as if answering to an order, then shot off. One going west, the other two flying north.

"Three seekers," Seto murmured to himself. "One for Mokuba, one for Bakura and one for Yami. They should be able to lead the others to us."

"Let's just hope the others aren't too far away," Joey said from beside him, looking up at the dragon. "We could be on the other side of the world for all we know. It could take them months to get to us."

"We'll just have to pray that that isn't the case," Seto said and turned around, walking back to the glade where they had left their things. "Come on; let's put up a camp."

Seto and Joey had left the city as soon as they had gotten all the stuff- blankets, bags, maps- that they had left behind before. They figured that since they didn't make it out in time, they might as well take care of all the things they would have lost otherwise. They had both agreed that it would be best to get as far away from the city as they could, thus they had started walking.

The sun was standing low in the sky now, and the two of them had decided to put up camp in this little glade and send out seekers to the others. There was nothing else they could do with Seto's wing all busted up. Besides; they had no idea where they were, so if they tried to look for the others they might as well end up even farther away from them.

Thus, Seto and Joey stopped here, and intended to stay until the others found them… hopefully soon….

It had been easy for Joey to gather up some wood, and even easier for Seto to torch it. Soon they had a nice little fireplace to sit and warm themselves by. Joey ate the last of their bread and dried meat; he was too tried to hunt, and really didn't want to go too far away from Seto anyway. They sat mostly in silence for about an hour or so, and then Joey decided to curl up among the blankets and sleep…

…Only to awaken a few hours later drenched in sweat, shaking. One hand automatically flew to the retrieved sword lying right beside him, but not even its familiar presence could ease Joey's fear.

He hadn't had a nightmare like that in some time. They had all slowly started to fade in the last few weeks, but now, after that whole thing with Anubis, they were back again, stronger and more vivid than ever. Joey gave a tired sigh and raked a hand through his hair, remembering Anubis' evil black eyes and destroyed face… skin-less hands raking over his body, touching everything… ugh…

"Bad dreams?"

Joey jumped in fright as that dark voice penetrated his thoughts and turned around to look into deep blue eyes. Relief flooded him when he understood that it was only Seto.

"You were squirming and murmuring a lot," Seto told him, and Joey couldn't help but blush. "You dreamt about… _him_, didn't you?"

Joey looked down at his hands. His heart and breathing had started to slow down now, and embarrassment was taking the fear's place.

"I'm not surprised," Seto continued matter-of-factly. "It was expected after… after everything. You don't have to feel embarrassed or anything."

Joey swallowed.

"It's… I can never get back to sleep again after one of these nightmares."

If Joey hadn't been too busy staring at his hands he would have seen Seto's deep frown.

"You've had bad dreams like that before?"

"A few… since our first meeting with Anubis."

Seto was surprised by that. He never would have guessed that Joey had problems like that. He sure as hell didn't show it during the day. It made the dragon angry, to know that a freak like that werewolf had had such a deep impact on his human. He simply couldn't have that.

"Maybe I know a way to make the dreams disappear," he said, and Joey looked up at him questioningly.

"I've heard," he continued, "that the presence of someone you trust can make the bad dreams go away. Something about the subconscious feeling secure or something like that."

Joey raised an eyebrow in confusion, and suddenly Seto hesitated. Maybe this was a bad idea. He looked to the side.

"I know I might not be the best option in this case, but I'm the closest you will get to 'trustworthy' right now. If you want… we can give it a try."

Joey blinked a few times, and it took a moment for his brain to catch up on what Seto was saying. When he finally _did_ understand, his whole body heated up with an intense blush.

"You want us to… sleep together?" He asked weakly, and what worried him was that the idea didn't sound so bad.

"Well, maybe more like sleep _close_ to each other," Seto said and almost made a face. "Let's not use the expression 'sleep together'."

"Right, that sounds a little weird," Joey agreed and squirmed, feeling his stomach twist nervously. "But yeah… we can always try it… anything to get away form the nightmares…"

"Yes… that's what I thought…"

A few moments passed in awkward silence.

"So…" Joey said at last. "I'm gonna… like… come over there or something?"

"It would probably be best that way."

"Right… right…"

So Joey found himself rising from his bunk, pick up a few blankets and march around the fireplace to stand beside Seto. Once there he switched his weight from one leg to the other for a moment, not meeting the dragon's eyes.

"Well… how're we gonna do this?"

Seto seemed to think about it for a moment.

"Maybe… you could lie by my side?"

"Nah," Joey said and shook his head. He couldn't believe they were discussing this! "It'd feel awkward for someone as small as me to lie at your side."

"Then… what about here?" Seto created a small, round space between his front legs which was just big enough for Joey. Thinking about it for a moment, the blond realized it was probably the best alternative. Besides, he'd be able to use Seto's front leg as a pillow of sorts…

"We can always try…"

It took them some awkward shuffling, some grunting and a few timid 'sorry's, but in the end Joey found himself lying on the blankets in between Seto's front legs with his head resting against the dragons arm. He squirmed a little and at last settled down.

It was… not that bad. Seto was big and warm; he felt like safety. And his scales, even if they were hard, were smooth against Joey's cheek. And most importantly, Joey couldn't imagine himself having anymore nightmares now. Not when he felt so secure.

Yet he couldn't go back to sleep. He was not relaxed, even if he was comfortable; being this close to Seto felt a bit awkward. As a heavy silence fell over them, Joey realized that Seto must be feeling the same way. They would have to do something about that…

"Talk to me," he ordered, and Seto looked down at him with mild confusion. "Ask me something… anything."

Seto seemed to understand what he was trying to do, because he thought for a moment, then:

"Tell me about your family. It's only fair, since you already know about mine."

"What should I tell you?"

"Anything you want to share."

Joey looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then rolled over onto his back and stared up at the dark night sky above the tree-tops.

"Wee-eell…" he began. "What's there to tell? I guess I had the perfect childhood. My parents loved each other very much… never fought, never screamed at me or my sister… took time off to be with us, even though they were royalties and all that…" he raked a hand through his hair and kept looking at the ceiling. "Dad died when I was ten. Serenity was eight. Mom never really got over it. Sure, she laughs and smiles and does all the things a queen is supposed to… but she's never fully _there_. And she's got this sad light in her eyes." He made a short pause, letting pictures of his beautiful mom flash on his retinas. "She's always been there for us, though. Me and Serenity. She's really strong. And she loves us."

Blinking rapidly as the memories made tears form in his eyes, Joey decided to change the subject a little. Seto didn't say anything.

"My sister and I… we're really close. Just like you and Mokuba. Although the roles are kinda reversed for us." He had to chuckle softly at that. "She's always been the responsible, orderly one. Cleaning her room… keeping things organized. And she's strong too! Just like mom…. Dad use to joke, when he was alive, about how Serenity should have been the oldest. How she would have made a far better 'king' than me!"

"He said that to you?" Seto asked, clearly surprised that a father would say something like that to their son.

"It was only a joke," Joey assured. "I always called him an old geezer, so I sort of deserved it. Besides…" here, he looked at Seto, a fond little smile on his face. "I never really wanted to be king anyway. So many responsibilities, you know? But you have to do what you have to do, right?"

"I guess so…" Seto trailed off. They lapsed into another silence. But it wasn't awkward anymore. talking really had taken their thoughts off the position they were in. Now all Joey could think of was how nice this felt. It was so comfortable, just lying around like this together. So… so comfortable.

"Falling asleep on me, Joey?" Seto asked with a teasing hint in his voice. "That was quick."

"Well, you _do_ make an awfully good pillow," Joey said, and then yawned. "You know, you could probably get a job as a pillow-for-hire."

"_Right_, because people usually have room for an eight-metre-tall pillow in their bed," Seto responded sarcastically. Joey chuckled softly as his eyelids grew heavy and slid closed.

"I'd make room for you," he mumbled jokingly, too tired to think about how sappy that sounded. "Any time."

Seto looked down at him, lying there between his front legs. He studied the peaceful features, the floppy blond hair, and the deep breaths.

"I'd make room for you too," he murmured back, lowered his head to the ground and shifted a little to get more comfortable. "All you have to do is ask."

Joey wasn't the only one who felt comfortable. The human's presence was strangely calming to Seto in some way…; it took his mind off the matter of his aching wing, gave him a feeling of strength and power, and right now, it… _soothed_ him, in lack of better words.

Very soon, he was asleep as well.

* * *

The sun was standing pretty high in the sky when Joey awoke the next morning. He felt fresh and well-rested in a way he hadn't done in quite some time, and he had to admit: waking up with Seto's warm, scaly arm beneath him… was nice. Very nice.

Rolling around a little to face the dragon, Joey couldn't stop a small, tender smile from spreading on his lips as he caught sight of his captor's peaceful face, only a small distance away. It was so beautiful… Seto was truly magnificent. And those deep, long breaths he was pulling in and letting out were so rhythmic… so perfect that Joey was almost lulled back into sleep again.

But a small, almost inaudible sound made him freeze and sit up in those arms. In an instant, Seto's eyes had flown open, sharp and alert as always, without a single trace of sleep in them. He lifted his head and growled.

"Don't move!" an unknown, demanding voice barked, and Joey looked around, feeling dread grow inside of him.

About thirty bulky men were standing in a ring around the boy and dragon, all of them with a grim expression on their faces and all with an arrow pointed at the two threateningly. In an instant Joey realized that they were completely cornered: Seto couldn't protect them from so many dangerous arrows at once.

This was not good.

**I wrote this chapter mostly to satisfy my inner fan-girl. I'VE MISSED THE FLUFF!! XD Not much going on in this chapter, but don't worry, things will start happening again soon! **

**Oh, and by the way: the girl Tristan talked to; Amanda, that's actually a version of one of my absolute favourite reviewers, mandapandabug! She's helped me with so many awesome ideas for this story, for example; the explanation to how Anubis could enter the castle was her idea! Without her it wouldn't have been the same! So THANK YOU, my dear mandapandabug! You finally get the credit you deserve! XD And I really do hope I portrayed your character okay! If not, please forgive me! I did my best! T.T**

**I can feel it in my very bones that school's started again! So much homework! And sadly almost no time to write. AND WALKING THROUGH SCHOOL ON A PAIR OF CRUTCHES SUCKS! Everyone stares, I can't carry my books or my own PLATE in the cafeteria at lunch, and don't even get me **_**started**_** on the STAIRS! .**

**But oh well, I guess I'll just have to suck it up! :'(**

**I know it's not an overly great chapter, but PLEASE leave me a review! **

**Thanks to:**

**Dragonlady222, Girlof1000NickNames, journey maker, mandapandabug, Silver Hunteress, random-laughter, Hikari Manganji, ****Gnat, Empress Satori, DarthAnimus, poink, Danyella Skyler Silverfire, casaragi, Astrael's Get, Assassin of the Shadows, shing, Makoto-Elena, MysticJunebugs, ONIX-21, Coconut Kazuo, hitsugirl, The Schizophrenics, rubisora18117, WolfAnimeGurl, afinemess, Iruweenie, Duff-Duff, Rosuto-Rei, whiteinu1, tommy2.0, Calcium FIST, melodyz07, death by storm, S.A.M.Thedragongirl, Searafina, Novelist Pup, BatNeko, Kitty Kat2009, firedraygon, Silver Star Celine, Tori-chan, pennypigeon, Flopples, kekame, Liztheyaioaddict, TheOtherWorldliNess, manga magirekomu, Purple Sox and RinkyPink**

**Y'all rock my sox! XD **

**R&R!!**


	24. Of guests and hosts

Chapter twenty-three: Of guests and hosts

Joey and Seto stared at the men, and they stared back. For a moment the world stood still around them- not even the birds were chirping- then Joey moved around a little.

"Don't move!" The same man as before repeated, and the bows were stretched threateningly. Joey quickly stuck his hands in the air.

"I'm just trying to get up! I'm unarmed!" He said, and after a moment's hesitation, the man nodded shortly. Joey struggled to get up, and made sure to keep his hands above his head all the time.

While he got to his feet and stepped out of the secure circle Seto's front-legs created, Joey's brain took in the whole situation. There were indeed a lot of men around them, and they all looked battle-hardened and experienced. They wouldn't fall for any dirty old tricks Joey could come up with. And his sword was still lying on the other side of the fire. He had left it there the night before… Damnit! He shouldn't let Seto distract him like that! How could he have forgotten that they were on completely unknown territory here?!

"Who are you, and why are you trespassing on Lord von Shroider's grounds?" The same man (he seemed to be the leader) asked coldly, and Joey was snapped out of his thoughts. The blond raised his eyebrows.

"Lord von Shroider?"

"Yes, this is his forest, and you and your giant pet are intruding."

Seto growled low in his throat and started to get up. The bows creaked as they were stretched to their limits.

"What did you just call me?" He growled with icy eyes. The man's jaw dropped.

"It speaks!" He exclaimed in astonishment. "It must be witchcraft!"

"No, wait!" Joey cried and waved his hands around to take their attention off Seto. He had to do something, or they'd turn Seto into a giant pincushion! "We're just passing by and were tired and needed a place to sleep! We didn't know we were trespassing! This is all a mistake!"

"He must be the spell-caster," the man said and pointed at Joey. "The talking monster… it's his doing!"

One second later all arrows were pointed at Joey, and a large un-broken wing hovered above him, protecting.

"If a single one of you as much as changes your grip on those arrows, I'll burn you so bad you melt into a puddle of skin!" Seto hissed like a snake. Joey put a calming hand on his scales and held his other hand out to the men.

"Wait, let's talk about this-"

"The creature is threatening us!" The man called, and all his companions narrowed their eyes into glares. "We will not tolerate that!"

"Just try and do something about it," Seto challenged in an arrogant and at the same time angry way, and one of his paws came around Joey. "I dare you."

They took aim.

"No! _Wait!_"

"That's quite enough."

The soft yet demanding voice made all the men stiffen, and Joey looked around in bewilderment. _Who had interfered? _

The answer to that question was easy to find; the command had come from a man sitting elegantly on a slender white horse behind the armed men. He held the rains steadily in one hand, the other resting nonchalantly on his tight, and ice-blue eyes were completely fixed on Seto. He was dressed in a… pink suit… and his hair was… also pink.

Okay…

"Fools," he said with a confident voice and steered the horse in between two of the men. They immediately lowered the arrows and took a step back, bowing their heads in respect.

"This here is a dragon," Lord von Shroider (because who else could it be?) said and let his cold gaze sweep over everyone before settling on Seto again. "A powerful and wise race which I believed to be extinct. This is truly a very special moment, and I feel honoured by your presence, mighty dragon."

"You have a strange way of showing it," Seto bit out, the cold flames not leaving his eyes for a moment.

"Forgive him, my lord," Joey said and took a step forward, bowing lightly. This guy was practically screaming 'noble', and Joey had lived long enough in the royal court to know how to handle such people. "We were just shocked to be awakened in such a way. It's not every day that you wake up with arrows pointed at you."

Now those eyes moved to Joey, and he met them without blinking. If Joey had thought Seto's eyes were cold, then there were no words for the freezing blizzard in these ones. Joey could practically feel frost cover his skin as the orbs raked him up and down a few times. A flash of appreciation appeared in the lord's eyes, but then it was gone, replaced by a pleasant but impersonal smile.

"A stranger with manners? That is an unexpected yet delightful surprise," the man stated, his voice having changed to a warmer, deeper tone suddenly. "But I assure you there is nothing to forgive, my fair friend." He slid out of the saddle with the practiced ease of someone who had spent copious amount of money on riding lessons. "If anything, I should apologize on behalf of my people. You know how it is with peasants; there are just some things they don't know." He laughed elegantly, swept a lock of pink hair over his shoulder and bowed deeply to Joey.

"I am Siegfried von Shroider, lord and owner of this forest. It is a true pleasure to meet the two of you." But he only looked at Joey when he said it.

"The pleasure is all mine," Joey said and easily slipped into the formalities he had been taught since the day he could walk. He was vaguely aware of Seto watching him impassively. "I am prince Joseph of Domino, and this is my… companion, Seto; the dragon prince."

The pink-haired lord looked surprised for a moment, then he bowed again, even deeper.

"So I am in the presence of not only one, but _two_ royalties? This truly is a great day. May I ask what such noble blood is doing walking around out here?"

"We got away from our company, and are waiting for them here," Seto answered and met Lord von Shroider's gaze. Joey didn't notice the flash of rivalry that seemed to pass between them, but he suddenly realized that the dragon's wing was still hovering protectively over his head. But he didn't say anything about it. Not now. "Like Joseph said, we were just passing by. We were on our way somewhere else, and will be leaving shortly."

"Ah, but it looks like you are hurt, your majesty," Lord von Shroider said with an almost demeaning look at Seto's broken wing. The dragon clearly heard the undertone, and his eyes became slits. "You are on my grounds now, which means I am your host. And what kind of host would I be if I did not invite you to my home? You can wait for your company there."

"We appreciate the sentiment, truly," Joey said with a faked smile, "but it would probably be best if we stayed where we are. It will be easier for them to find us."

"My castle is only a few minutes away, it will hardly make a difference," The lord answered with a smile. "Besides… it would be a true honour if you would let me do this for you."

Oh, Joey knew what that meant. In court-speech that practically meant 'if you don't do as I say I'm gonna be extremely pissed and get my revenge'. And if there was one thing nobles could do, it was hold a grudge.

Joey shot Seto a discreet look. The narrowed eyes told him Seto too knew what the lord had meant, but he didn't look the least bit intimidated. Joey felt as willing to go with Lord von Shroider as Seto looked.

Never the less, the man had thirty or so arrows pointed at the two of them, and if he was anything like the people in the court at home, he wouldn't think twice about having them executed if he didn't get his way. Seto and Joey had been through so much in the last few days… he didn't _want _to fight anymore. All Joey wanted was to go back home to the cave!

Sending Seto an apologetic smile Joey turned to the lord again.

"If it's not too much of a burden for you, my lord, we would be…" he searched for the right word for a moment, "_delighted_ to be your guests until our friends find us."

The lord's handsome face lit up in a smile at the same time as Seto's eyes flashed with irritation.

"_Wonderful_!" He exclaimed and bowed again. "I will make sure that both of you enjoy your stay! And first of all I think lunch is in order. Shall we?"

Joey nodded and the man turned back to his horse, swinging himself into the saddle easily. He steered the animal over to stand right beside Joey, and with a charming smile he reached a hand down to the blond.

"A prince should never walk," he stated warmly, but that same cold spark was in his eye; Joey realized the man would be deeply offended if he declined.

Sighing inwardly but giving the man a fake smile, he reached up and let himself be pulled onto the animal's back behind Lord von Shroider. Joey glanced over at Seto. Outwardly the dragon looked calm, but his eyes were almost black with a feeling Joey had never seen there before. He quickly looked away.

"I am sorry, your majesty, but I don't think I have any horses big enough for you," Lord von Shroider said with an amused smile at Seto.

"It's fine," Seto answered coolly.

"This is truly too much, my lord," Joey said over the man's shoulder as he turned the horse and started walking out of the glade. Joey had to lean back a little so he wouldn't get pink hair in his eyes and mouth. It smelled like strawberries. "All this trouble just for us…."

"I disagree, my prince," Lord von Shroider said. "It is my lifelong duty to help other nobles whenever I come across them. And to meet a prince and a dragon on the same day is truly a greater honour than I can ever repay you for."

"Well, if you say so, my lord," Joey said with another inward sigh and leaned his hands onto the horse's behind to keep his balance.

"Please, my prince, call me Siegfried."

* * *

When Siegfried had told them that his castle was only a few minutes away he had been lying gravely.

It wasn't until half an hour later that they finally reached the huge white building with the many towers and large beautiful windows. The garden smelled of roses and Joey saw at least a dozen gardeners scurrying around. It seemed to be paying off though, because the garden was truly perfection. Not a single straw or petal out of place. Joey silently wondered if there were any worms in the ground, and if there were; did they wear tuxedos?

Siegfried and Joey had led the party back to the castle, with Seto walking right behind them and the many men as after-troops. Siegfried had practically ignored Seto, instead focusing completely on Joey.

"So tell me," he had asked at one point. "How come the two of you know each other? You have to admit it's a rather… odd friendship, that between a human and dragon prince."

"Er…" Joey had said and turned around to stare in panic at Seto. The dragon had rolled his eyes as if saying 'do I always have to save your ass?' and answered in his place.

"It's a political agreement, rather than a friendship," Seto said without hesitation. "Joseph and I have a deal, and there are things we have to do in order to fulfil our different terms." He paused for a moment, then added firmly; "private things."

"Ah, I see, I see," Siegfried said with a nod, but there was something almost disappointed in his voice. "Well, living here in the middle of nowhere, you'll have to excuse me if I'm not entirely updated on the going-on's in the world. Would it be rude of me to ask, my prince, what is going on these days?"

_I wouldn't know, I've been as isolated as you for the last few months,_ Joey thought and felt an uncomfortable weight settle in his stomach at that thought.

It was true. He had no idea what was happening in the world, or even Domino. He didn't know how his family and friends were doing, what was going on… _nothing_. And it had been a long time since he had last thought about that. A long time since he had spared his family more than a fleeting thought. He had been so caught up in everything… the trip to Tangea, Anubis… but most of all Seto.

Seto had almost made him forget.

"My prince?"

Joey snapped out of his thoughts and quickly apologized. He decided to tell Siegfried the last gossip he'd heard in the court before he had been kidnapped, and the lord seemed to be happy with that.

But as he talked, Joey made a mental note to never forget his quest in all of this again; he wanted to get _home_. He had to talk to Seto: he was pretty sure the dragon trusted him now.

Now, a while later, as Siegfried steered his horse up the gravel path which led to the castle, the thought had almost completely slipped Joey's mind. He looked around in astonishment.

"You like my home, your highness?" Siegfried asked with smugness in his voice.

"You put the royal gardens in Domino to shame," Joey told him truthfully, and from his place behind the man he couldn't see the smirk spreading over his face. "What's your secret? My mom and sister would kill to have lawns like these."

"Oh, I don't have much else to do out here," Siegfried answered nonchalantly, and Seto snorted.

"Oh? So you take care of the gardens yourself?" He asked in cold amusement, and Siegfried's smirk fell a little.

"Anyway," he said quickly and halted the horse right at the stairs which led up to the massive front door. "I believe lunch is first on the agenda, isn't it?" He slung one leg over the horse's neck so both his legs were on the same side, and slipped off elegantly. Then he turned around and looked up at Joey, smile back in place again. "So why don't you come with me to the dining-room, my prince, and we will have a few servants carry something out for the dragon."

Seto's eyes narrowed, but before he had a chance to get a single sound out Joey interrupted him.

"I'd rather eat with Seto," he said, then blushed at his hasty words and refused to look at the dragon, even though he could already feel blue eyes on him. "I… I mean…" he cleared his throat and slipped off the horse, ignoring the hand Siegfried put on his arm to steady him. "I think it would be best if we stayed together, since we're travelling-companions and everything…. Besides, I don't want Seto to eat alone."

Siegfried looked almost angry for a moment, but Joey stood his ground. He really didn't want to leave Seto. At least not until they knew what they had gotten themselves into. When it came to this, he didn't care if their host was offended or not. He simply wasn't going to leave Seto's side.

A short silence passed, then Siegfried's smile slipped back into place, albeit a little more strained.

"Very well," he said. "I shall simply have to accompany you to the garden then, since you are a bit too big to fit in my house," he said with a look at Seto. "No offence, of course."

"None taken," Seto answered, and for some reason he looked a little less cold and a little more smug. But it was only Joey who noticed.

Almost reluctantly Seto and Joey followed the pink-haired man to the back of the house. Joey had hoped that the man would leave them alone for a moment, so they could talk things through. But that apparently wasn't happening, because as they walked Siegfried ordered a passing maid to bring lunch to them outside.

As they rounded the last corner Joey and Seto caught sight of a large, perfect pond a few metres away from the castle. On the other side of it the forest began, and the tree-tops and blue sky reflected in the clear water. A few duck swam around at a slow pace, but when the three of them approached they got scared of Seto's large frame and retreated into the reed on one side of the pound. Joey had to admit: it was absolutely beautiful.

"So," Siegfried said and sat down in one of the two garden chairs a pair of servants hastily had carried over to them along with a round garden table. "Why don't you tell me more about yourselves?"

"I'd rather not," Seto said in an aloof kind of way and lay down on the perfect grass, since the unoccupied lawn-chair obviously wasn't for him. Siegfried gave him a quick glare.

"I was mostly referring to his majesty, anyway," he said and looked intently at Joey. "Tell me more about yourself."

Joey squirmed a little under that intensive gaze, but tried not to let his discomfort show. He didn't know what Siegfried wanted with them (himself in particular) but there was just something with the man… something odd!

Still, he couldn't act as rude as Seto and tell the guy off; they were in his house (and would soon be eating his food) so Joey at least had to pretend to be polite. Therefore, he started telling the man superficial things. Like how he had a sister, and his grandfather was still king, and his mom was a widow. He told him that his two best friends were called Tristan and Duke, and how he had celebrated his eighteenth birthday a few months earlier.

Truth to be told, Joey felt a bit stupid, just sitting there blabbering random things about himself. But Siegfried put his elbow in the table and his chin in his hand and _stared _at Joey while he talked. He had a small smile on his face and his eyes were almost dazed, and Joey got the distinct feeling that the man wasn't listening at all. But… _what the hell was he staring at_?!

Just as Joey was getting really uncomfortable the servants arrived with their lunch. And Joey suddenly remembered the joy of freshly cooked food!

Bread so fresh it was still warm, fruit picked directly form the garden, milk or hot chocolate, boiled and scrambled eggs, and bacon. Joey was in heaven! He hadn't had food like this in over a week! This was good enough to compare to the things he got back in the village. And the best part was that he could eat as much as he wanted, because Siegfried had more than enough! While Joey busied himself with wolfing it down like he hadn't seen food in years, three maidens carried out a few raw steaks for Seto. It was the largest steaks in the castle, but Seto just picked them up between his claws and swallowed them like candy. He didn't look satisfied at all, and Siegfried noticed this.

"I suppose we will have to butch one of the bulls for dinner," he stated with a small smirk, and Seto shot a similar smirk back at him.

"Don't bother," he said, mostly to provoke the man. "I'll eat it alive."

Siegfried looked completely disgusted, and didn't eat more than an apple and a piece of bread for lunch. Joey tried to keep from laughing by stuffing his mouth with even more food.

By the time Joey was finished almost all the food was gone, and Siegfried looked mildly impressed while Seto just rolled his eyes.

"I assure you dinner will be even better," Siegfried said when Joey thanked him profoundly for the meal. "And… I was hoping that you would eat it with me in the dining-room, my prince. I have a few things I would like to discuss with you."

"Uh…" Joey didn't know what to do. The guy was asking so humbly this time! "Seto…"

"It will only be for an hour or two," Siegfried said. "I think his majesty can manage that long without you, can't you?" He asked and looked at Seto.

Ocean-blue narrowed and met ice-blue in a silent stare down, and while the tension grew Joey squirmed a little again.

"Uh… guys-"

"It would be such an honour if you would join me for dinner, my prince," Siegfried said, referring to Joey, even though he still hadn't broken his staring-match with Seto.

That again! Joey realized the man wouldn't take no for an answer, and gave in. Besides… he wanted to stop the thing going on between Seto and Siegfried.

"I guess a few hours won't hurt, right Seto?" He said, and _finally_ the two of them broke gazes; Siegfried smiled charmingly at Joey, and Seto shrugged and looked out over the pond.

"It doesn't really matter to me," he said simply, and Joe wondered why it bothered him a little that the dragon didn't seem to care.

"_Excellent_!" Siegfried exclaimed and put his hands together. "Then it's settled! Dinner will be served at seven. I will have a servant show you the way."

"Seven… right…" Joey muttered, clearly not sharing Siegfried's enthusiasm. Truth to be told, he would have much rather eaten his dinner out here, with Seto, _even_ _if_ the dragon ate a bull alive.

_I prefer the company of a bull-eating dragon over that of a charming, handsome noble-man. What the hell is wrong with me?!_

"Sadly, I have duties that I must attend to now, my prince," Siegfried said in an almost painful manner and stood up from the table. Joey automatically stood too; it's what he had been raised to do. At the same time as they rose a few maidens scurried over to start cleaning the table. "But I'm looking forward to our meeting tonight. And don't worry, your highness," he turned to Seto, "I will make sure you are fed properly tonight."

"I'm looking forward to it," Seto told him coldly, but Siegfried didn't seem the least bit offended. If anything, his smile just widened as he turned back to Joey.

"Well, off I go," he said and bent down a little. Joey thought he was going to bow, but then the man took hold of his hand gently. "See you later, Prince Joseph."

And he kissed the top of Joey's hand, like Joey himself had done to dozens of ladies in his days. Then, before Joey had the chance to answer, he had swept off in a cloud of pink hair and strawberry-scent.

Joey stared after him, completely stunned, but then shook it off and shrugged mentally.

_The manners here must be a little different from those at home_, he thought and turned around to face Seto.

…Who was staring at Siegfried's back like he wanted to squash the man beneath his front-paw like a rotten apple.

_What the hell_?!

"Seto?"

"He wants you."

Joey's eyebrows shot up into his hair, and he stared.

"What?"

Seto sighed and turned his burning blue eyes to Joey. Like so many times before, the blond shivered from their sharpness.

"That guy, he is attracted to you," Seto said in the same way someone explains to a child that two plus two equals four. "He was trying to seduce you."

"What?! No he wasn't!" Joey protested and felt his cheeks warm up. He hadn't noticed anything! Sure, the guy was odd, but he wasn't… _attracted_ like that! Seto must be imagining it!

"Didn't you notice?"

"Notice what?"

Seto rolled his eyes and sighed again, in that 'you're really stupid' kind of way, then tried to convince Joey again.

"He was practically all over you."

All over him?! Siegfried hadn't been anything but gentlemanly! _All over him_ was Téa latching on to his arm and refusing to let go! _All over him_ was Anubis, trying to rape him…

…_Don't think about that._

"He was just being friendly!"

"Oh come on, Joey," Seto said, growing irritated now. "Having you ride behind him? Inviting you to dinner? Kissing your hand? He was treating you like some kind of princess."

"Are you saying I'm girly?" Joey growled, suddenly growing defensive.

"That's not the point."

"So you think I'm girly?!"

"No, you stupid human, I don't think you're girly! But you're completely missing the point! He… oh, just forget it!" Seto turned his back and lay down with his head close to the edge of the pond, glaring at his reflection. "Just… just don't let your guard down. That guy is sneaky."

"I'm telling you, he's not trying to… _seduce _me," Joey said, almost spitting the word out. It made him sound like a _damsel_ or something! "And even if he was, (_which he's not!_) I'm not interested."

Seto grunted and his glare softened quite a bit, but Joey didn't see that when his back was turned.

The rest of the day passed with the two of them mostly just hanging around. Joey was showed around in the garden by a pair of blushing, giggling maidens, and Seto mostly lay by the lake, staring out over the water; thinking. They talked a little, but Joey left him alone most of the time; he had a feeling that Seto had a lot of things to think about. Mostly he was probably worrying about Mokuba and the others, but still… there was something about the far away look in his eyes which told Joey he just wanted solitude.

Around five o'clock a nervous servant approached them, looking for Joey.

"I-I've received orders from his grace to prepare a bath and some clean clothes for you," he told Joey, his eyes flickering nervously to Seto's frightening figure.

Joey's ears perched up at that and Seto's eyes darkened, making the man swallow nervously.

"A bath?" Joey asked eagerly. That was another thing he hadn't had since they left the village! Joey wasn't a hygiene-freak in any way, but after all this time, the mere thought of it made his skin itch to get rid of all the dirt.

"Y-yes," the man nodded. "If you come with me, sir…" he looked eager to get away.

"Sure, I'm right behind you," Joey told him with a friendly smile. As the man turned and started to walk away, Joey quickly looked at Seto.

"See you in a few hours," he said with a small smile. Seto didn't answer it.

"Be careful," he said gravely.

"I'm telling you, he's not interested, and neither am I," Joey said, a little irritated. He sighed and waved as he followed the servant towards the castle. "Everything's going to be fine!" He called over his shoulder, not looking back.

Seto watched him go with cold eyes and something dark roaring in his chest. He wanted to hold Joey back and leave this place right now! He wanted to toast Siegfried so bad there wouldn't be a single hair left on his body. But as always, his iron-control won over his instincts, and Seto didn't say or do anything.

When Joey's golden head had disappeared into the building he turned back around towards the pond where the ducks had finally dared swim out into open water again.

"Damn pink-haired bastard," he muttered sullenly and spit a small fire-ball at one of the birds. It missed.

* * *

About one and a half hour later Joey was clean, dry, clothed and generally satisfied with his life. The bath had been heaven; the tub had been big enough for ten people, and the water had been just hot enough. The feeling of scrubbing soap through his own hair, rinsing out all the dirt and dried sweat had been wonderful, as had the feeling of a soft sponge on his skin.

Afterwards a clean pair of underwear, as well as a green shirt and a pair of pants had been waiting for him right outside the bathroom door, and Joey had been happy to find that his belt and sword had been there too. (Apparently, Siegfried's men had picked up their stuff when they left the glade earlier that day. Joey reminded himself to thank the man.)

Now, the same servant as before was leading Joey down a long, elegant corridor in marble. The walls were covered in family-portraits, but Joey noticed that there were quite a few paintings of only Siegfried too.

The servant stopped in front of the last door to the left and knocked once before holding it open for Joey, allowing him to step inside. Joey nodded in thanks and stepped in.

It was a relatively small room, with cream-coloured walls, dark parquet-floor and wine-red curtains over the three large windows. The walls were covered in more paintings- of landscapes and art this time-, and in the middle of the room stood a square table with a pair of candles on it, as well as two plates and two wine-glasses. In front of one of the windows stood a tall, broad-shouldered man with long pink hair.

"Ah, Prince Joseph," Siegfried said and turned around, his pleasant smile firmly in place. "You're early. Are you that eager to see me?"

Joey smiled and stepped further into the room, looking at the well-set table. He didn't notice the greedy ice-blue eyes roaming over his body and face.

"I'm eager for the food," he joked, and Siegfried laughed elegantly.

"I can imagine," he stated and stepped closer. "How has your day been? How was the bath?"

"Great!" Joey said with another smile. "Thank you for everything, this is far too much; I can never repay you! Oh, and… thank you for picking up our stuff too." He put a hand on the swords-handle hanging by his side. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost this."

"Hm," Siegfried said and made a gesture with his hand. Almost immediately a few servants started carrying their food into the room. "Perhaps you can tell me why that is, over dinner?" He offered and pulled Joey's chair out for him. The blond sat down, even though he felt irritation stir inside of him at the clearly feminine act.

The food was, of course, delicious. Steak with potatoes and sauce; simple, but yet cooked in such a way that the food melted on Joey's tongue. And the wine he got with it was wonderfully sweet. Joey hadn't had wine since before he was kidnapped!

They ate and conversed politely for about an hour, through dinner and dessert (some kind of pie which tasted wonderful to Joey) then the blond started to get bored.

Well… truth to be told, he'd been bored most of the time (the food had been his only distraction) but now they were running out of things to talk about (or well, things Joey _wanted _to talk about). It was all just so… _formal_! He could joke around with Yugi and the others for hours, or bicker with Seto, but this guy was so tied to his manners it wasn't even funny. And Joey had to play along so that he wouldn't offend the guy.

He found his thoughts straying to the white dragon out in the garden. Had Seto gotten his food? Did he wonder how Joey was doing? Was he mad because Joey had chosen to eat dinner with Siegfried instead of him?

Suddenly Joey just wanted to wrap this up so he could go back outside.

"My lord," he said and put his napkin on the table. He couldn't help but sigh in contentment at his full stomach. "Was there something you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Hm?" Siegfried looked confused for a moment, and then his eyes brightened in realization. "Oh yes, yes! I wanted to discuss, didn't I? Well, it's high time, then! Have some more wine!"

And he poured some more wine into Joey's empty glass. The blond was already feeling a little light-headed from the alcohol, but… the damn wine tasted so good he drank some more anyway! Siegfried watched him closely as Joey drank. It wasn't until the blond had put the glass down that he started talking.

"I have a confession to make," he said, and Joey raised an eyebrow in question. Siegfried smiled and stood up, walking over to a cabinet beside the door. Once there he turned around and beckoned Joey to come too.

Not knowing where this was going, Joey drank the last of his wine and stood up, doing as the man wanted.

"This," Siegfried said and turned his back to Joey, opening one of the cabinet-doors. "Isn't really the dining-room."

Joey blinked. He had guessed that much already, since it was pretty small, but hadn't brought it up; the right moment had never come.

"This is actually one of my more private rooms," Siegfried said and opened both doors, stepping aside so that Joey would see what was inside. "This is where I keep all of my most precious finds."

Joey stared at the many jewelleries and gems inside the cabinet, sparkling at him in the light of the chandelier. He took a step closer to get a better look, and didn't notice how Siegfried moved in closer to _him_, so that his nose was almost touching Joey's golden hair.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" he whispered, pulling in a long breath.

"Very," Joey told him. "Where did you get them?"

"Here and there," Siegfried answered mystically. "I am a collector of sorts, Joseph. I love anything and everything that is beautiful. It is almost like an obsession. My guilty pleasure, if you will."

"Fascinating," Joey said and took a step back to meet his gaze. "But what's that got to do with what you wanted to discuss?"

Siegfried looked taken aback for a moment, then his smile was back in place, warm and inviting, as he took a long step into Joey's personal space.

"I'm getting to that," he said with a dark rumbling voice, and his breath washed over Joey's face.

Well, _now _Joey certainly noticed the proximity. He took two steps back, his eyes flickering in uncertainty.

"Uh… my lord?"

"When I saw you this morning," Siegfried took two steps forward again, and Joey took two back. "I thought you were some kind of magical creature. People often compliment me on my unique hair, but yours… I've never seen gold like that before."

He stepped closer again, and Joey stepped back. His brown eyes flickered from ice-blue to the door to ice-blue again. Siegfried smirked seductively.

"Not to mention those eyes. Dark eyes with hair and skin like that… you are truly special, little prince. And don't even let me get started on your face… so perfect…"

Joey's butt hit the table, and before he knew it, Siegfried was pressed up against him, one arm on either side of him, trapping him. Their eyes were locked firmly, one pair wide and surprised, the other heavy-lidded and inviting.

"The point is, my fair prince, that you are beautiful," Siegfried said, and three fingers ghosted over Joey's cheek. "And I love beautiful things. I simply… _must have them_."

And when Siegfried bent down and kissed him, a single though flashed through Joey's mind.

_HolyshitSetowasright!!_

Then his brain went on a holiday for a moment, and Joey's whole body froze up.

But instinct quickly kicked in when a pair of arms wrapped possessively around Joey's back and a tongue sneaked out and plunged into his mouth. Pictures flashed across his retinas for a hundredth of a second…

"_I've waited so long for this moment__…"_

_Skin-less hands raked over his bound and helpless body…_

"_I want __you__. I want a new start. I want you to give me children; I want you as my breeder!"_

_A merciless tongue darted out and plunged into Joey's mouth without asking for permission__…_

"_MINE! MINE!"_

Joey pushed the man back and before any of them knew what had happened, he'd pulled his fist back and slugged him right in the face.

Siegfried stumbled back, clutching his face, and crashed straight into the cabinet with the jewelleries. He was still clutching his nose when one of the shelves came loose and fell down, hitting him right in the head and knocking him out cold.

Joey stared at his now unconscious host with his heart hammering away in his chest and his knees shaking. Servants and maidens rushed into the room, flocking around their master, lifting him out of the now ruined cabinet. Some of them slipped on the gems spread out over the floor and fell too, one even hitting his head so hard he _too_ fainted. Within the span of two seconds the whole room had gone from quiet and cosy to complete chaos.

"Bring the master to his bedroom!" One of the older servants ordered, and he and some other men lifted the man, while the women scurried of to get cold water or something.

Joey knew it was wrong. He knew he had overreacted badly, and Siegfried certainly hadn't deserved that treatment. He knew he should show concern for the man, sit by his side, and apologize the first thing he did when the man woke up.

But he didn't want to do that. He didn't have the energy to do that. He was so light-headed (from the wine, no doubt. It was probably because of the wine that he'd reacted the way he did) and there was only one thing he really wanted to do now.

Therefore, Joey drowned the last of the wine in the bottle, then asked one of the maidens to show him the way to the garden.

* * *

Seto was so bored he though he might die.

Shooting fire at ducks had only been fun for so long, and since everyone seemed to be too scared of him to come near, he didn't have anyone to entertain himself with either.

It wasn't healthy for Seto to be bored. When he was bored, his brilliant mind started thinking. Or rather, it started _doubting_.

He had this plan. It involved Joey, the night of Malik's birthday-party (something that would take place as soon as they got back home) and a potion. He knew what he had to do; had known it from the start. But now, unbidden, _doubt_ was creeping into his mind.

What if it didn't work? What if Mai was right; and it destroyed everything instead? What if it was all for nothing?

He pushed the though aside and tried to think about other things, but the thought soon creped back into his head. It was annoying, and a bit dangerous, to doubt your own plan. He had to be focused and confident, otherwise it would never work!

Thus, it was dangerous for Seto to be bored.

His stomach suddenly growled, and even if he was hungry, it was a blessed distraction from his thinking.

The maidens _had_ brought him some food, but it had only been a few more steaks, and that wasn't nearly enough for Seto. Apparently, Siegfried had thought he was joking when he told the man to bring him a bull alive. Either that or he simply didn't care. Seto was certain it was the later.

Thoughts of Siegfried led Seto's thought to Joey, and that was another thing he didn't want to think about right now. Those two, alone, having dinner… it almost made him want to tear a wall or two down. He knew he could do it!

Seto shifted, and a sharp pain shot through his injured wing. He growled softly in irritation and looked at the large splint holding it in place. Malik had done a good job; it looked good, but the pain was still there, and it was annoying as hell! As soon as he got home, Seto would have Isis teach him a few healing-spells. He would never ever allow himself to end up in a situation like this again!

Whenever he moved, pain shot through the injured bone and up his spine, and Seto always had a hard time hiding it from Joey. The blond would get that concerned look on his face that Seto hated. It made him feel weak, and he didn't want to look weak.

Especially not in front of Joey.

Soft footsteps across the grass made Seto turn, despite the pain, and he was relieved and pleased to see that familiar mop of golden hair coming closer.

"Is dinner over?" He asked, watching the light from the castle reflect off of Joey's hair as the blond walked closer.

"Mhm," Joey mumbled and sat down beside him, gazing out over the pond with dazed eyed. _Drunk_, Seto realized.

He didn't say anything when the blond lulled to the side and leaned his shoulder and head on his scaly arm. As a matter of fact, they didn't say anything for a long time.

"You were right," Joey mumbled at last, and Seto glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "About Siegfried."

Seto froze.

"What did he do?"

"Kissed me."

Seto had to hold back a snarl of rage, and promised himself he would fry the bastard next time he saw him. He'd made a promise to his father long ago, never to kill unless absolutely necessary, but now it was damn well necessary!

"Don't worry," Joey said and leaned into him even more. "Punched him out cold. Won't happen again."

Seto relaxed a little and didn't even try to hold back a chuckle at the thought of Siegfried lying unconscious on the floor. Joey was Joey; why was he even worrying?

"Must have been an interesting dinner," Seto remarked.

"No' really," Joey muttered through a loud yawn. "Boring as hell… wanted to go out here… with you…"

Seto's eyes softened even more, and he turned his head to look at the boy.

Whatever he had been about to say died on his lips when he realized Joey was out cold.

_Definitely drunk._

Sighing heavily, Seto re-arranged them so that Joey was lying between his front-paws like he had done the night before. Joey didn't even stir when gentle claws lifted and put him down, but a small smile spread over his face when Seto put his head down right beside him, so that he could feel the dragon's breathing, even in his sleep.

It didn't take long for Seto to fall asleep too.

**ATTENTION EVERYONE!! PLEASE READ THIS!! **

**Hi! I just have a few questions for my loyal reviewers and readers! **

**First of all, I'd like to announce that there will be a lemon in one of the coming chapters! (YAY!) Not necessarily in the next one, but it will come eventually! And my question is following: **

**Do I have to raise the rating to M, or do you think it'll be enough to just put up a lot of warnings? I don't know what to do, and hopefully you'll be able to help! So yeah, leave me a review and tell me what you think! **

**Second: is there anyone out there who knows a site where I can upload my original stories? I've got a few originals just lying around, and I wanna do something with them! So yeah, if you know any free sites where I can do that, please tell me! **

**Okay, that's all from me!**

**I'm soooo sorry, but I'm not gonna list my reviewers this time. TT.TT I simply don't have time right now and this chapter have already been delayed way too much! **

**Just know that I love all of you! And of course, don't forget to review this chapter! Even if it's taken so long to get out, and it's a tad bit shitty…**

**Until next time!**

**R&R!!**


	25. Back Home

Chapter twenty-four: Back home

Apparently, Siegfried must have hit his head harder than Joey had thought, because it took him a whole day to wake up from his coma, and once he did, he didn't seem to remember a single thing about the incident. Perhaps he had been as drunk as Joey.

During that day, Seto and Joey had been left mostly alone. They both knew it was very risky to stay in the garden after what Joey had done, but they didn't have much of a choice. Seto couldn't move long distances and their stuff were still inside the castle (hidden somewhere; Joey couldn't remember where). Besides; they figured that if problem showed up before the rest of the gag found them, they'd be able to hold their own against ay enemy.

But they needn't have worried: none of the servants had dared do anything without their master present. Besides; they were all scared stiff of Seto.

Joey woke up the morning after 'the incident' with a headache and slight nausea, and had to endure Seto's smug smirks and not-so-subtle taunting all day. Two young maidens took pity on the two strangers and got them some food, but it still wasn't nearly enough to feed Seto properly. As the day went by, his mood grew steadily worse until he was glaring at anything and anyone walking by. Joey, who had almost grown completely immune to his sharp eyes during the many weeks as his captive, was the only one who dared get close to him. And even _he_ held his distance. A hungry dragon was a dangerous dragon… apparently.

On the second day after 'the incident', Siegfried woke up, completely confused, and with a headache so bad he couldn't get out of bed until noon. And even then, he was so weak he had to lean on a servant as he walked into the dining-room to have lunch.

He ended up going back to bed after that.

Needless to say, he wasn't in any condition to face the blond boy and white dragon who seemed to have invaded his garden. Joey was relieved by this (because now when he was sober, he did feel kind of ashamed) and Seto silently called Siegfried a wimp.

On the third day, they awoke to the sound of Mokuba's delighted squealing as he swooped in from the sky and tackle-hugged his older brother. At about the same time, Bakura and Marik came running from the forest with Malik and Ryou on their backs, and Yami landed gracefully on the ground, allowing Isis to slip off his back (since Yugi was a bit lighter than Isis, they had decided to let him ride with Mokuba, to make sure the drakling could really handle it). They all watched in amusement as Mokuba squirmed around on top of his brother while Yugi held on to one of his wings for dear life.

"Seto! We were so worried, Seto! I missed you! Are you okay? How's your wing? We've got Isis with us, so she'll be able to fix it! We came as soon as we could! Did I mention I've missed you?!" he babbled happily, rubbing his face lovingly against Seto's. The older dragon grunted and tried to hide a grimace of pain as his broken wing was accidentally moved.

"I'm fine, Mokuba," he said and finally managed to push the smaller dragon off of him. "But I'll be even better if you give me some space. And put Yugi down! Have you no manners?"

"Oh," Mokuba said and quickly took a step back to stare adoringly at his brother with big sparkling eyes. Everyone present had to look away so that they wouldn't squeal at the cuteness, and Yugi finally managed to slip off his back to stand on shaky legs. "Sorry, big brother, but I've missed you so much! I'm glad you're okay!"

"I can tell," Seto said and managed to stand up and rearrange his unharmed wing. As soon as he had gotten himself into place, he reached out and pulled Mokuba into a firm hug, nuzzling the top of his head. "And I've missed you too. Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine!" Mokuba said, and his voice was a little muffled from where he was pushing his face into Seto's scaly chest. Everyone smiled at the display except Bakura and Marik, the former rolling his eyes and the later just looking bored. Ryou and Malik slid off their backs and walked over to Joey, as did Yugi and Isis.

"Are you okay?" Isis asked, searching Joey's face for damage or signs of pain. She frowned at the minor scrapes he had gotten on his face during the whole Anubis-incident.

"Yeah," Joey answered. "There's been a few… _incidents _since wegot separated from the group, but nothing bad. Although I'm sure we're all ready to go home now. Good thing you found us so fast."

"We stayed where we were until those seekers reached us, and by then Yami had already gotten back with Isis. Fortunately for us, the city only made a small jump this time, so we managed to get here in only twenty-four hours," Ryou explained while Seto and Mokuba finally took a step back from each other, and Mokuba walked over to give Joey a big hug instead.

"We were really worried, especially with Seto's wing an everything," Yugi said while he gave Joey a bright smile. "But you seem to be doing just fine."

"Yeah, about that," Malik said and scanned the gardens, castle, pond… and the many servants who were staring at them wide-eyed from the other side of the lawn. "What the hell is this place?"

"It belongs to a lord called Siegfried von Shroider," Seto said and tried to disguise his dislike for the name. "He and his men found us in the forest and decided to show us… _hospitality_." As Joey blushed faintly and the others raised an eyebrow in question, he rolled his eyes. "I'll explain it later."

"Right, we have other things to think about right now," Isis said and took a step towards her master. "I came with Yami as soon as I heard what had happened. You ready to get rid of that fracture now, master Seto?"

"Those words are like music to my ears," Seto answered and lay back down, angling the broken wing a bit towards her. "Go right ahead."

Isis immediately sprung into action.

"First we need to remove the splint," she told them, and Seto's eyes darkened. Still, he stayed unmoving as Malik, Bakura and Marik removed the curtain-turned-bandage and threw the long branch away. When that was done, Isis finally took a step forward and put both hands on the bone, closing her eyes in concentration.

"Fractures are complicated," she said. "This might take a while."

"Just make sure you get it done properly," Seto answered and put his head on the ground, closing his eyes too.

"I _always_ get it done properly, and you know that," Isis said with a small smile. "What would you do without me?"

Seto only snorted softly in answer, and Isis didn't say anything more.

Joey had never seen Isis heal anyone before, so he watched closely as the woman's beautiful face grew completely serene, as if she had found a higher state of mind. There was no flash of bright light, no spells, nothing indicating magic except a few green sparkles which seemed to pass straight from Isis fingertips into Seto's scales without a single sound. Joey wouldn't even have seen them if he hadn't been looking for something special.

One, two, three minutes passed without Isis or Seto changing their positions. Everyone pretty much settled down after a while, made sure they had greeted each other properly, then fell back into old habits of talking and hanging out. To Joey, it felt so good to be back in this gang again. It was as if he had been walking on a small thread his whole life, and now suddenly, the safety-net had come back. He felt secure, and found himself appreciating Mokuba's cheerfulness, Bakura's foul mood, Marik's weirdness and Ryou's kind heart more than before.

It was like coming home.

And truth to be told, that thought scared him a little. If he missed the guys this much after only a few days, how was he supposed to leave them behind forever?

But he quickly pushed that thought aside, determined to just go with the flow and enjoy for now.

About twenty minutes later Isis finally opened her eyes and took a step away from Seto. The dragon too opened his eyes and stood back up, turning and flapping his wing a little, to test it out.

"How does it feel?" Isis asked, watching him closely for any signs of discomfort. She looked tired, and had to sit down in one of the garden-chairs.

"Good," Seto answered, and couldn't stop a small smirk of satisfaction as the wing did exactly what he told it too, not hurting at all. "I never thought that just moving my wing would bring me this much joy. Good job, Isis."

"Thank you, master Seto."

Seto nodded shortly at her, then turned to the whole group.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," he said and spread his wings. Joey felt something warm settle inside him at the sight. A Seto who couldn't fly wasn't a complete Seto. Now that he was back to normal, Joey almost felt like the last piece of a puzzle had been found. "I am terribly hungry."

"Oh!" Mokuba yelped and jumped up from where he had been sitting beside Joey. "Can I come with you? I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

Seto watched him in silence for a moment, something akin to pride and sorrow in his eyes, but in the end he nodded.

"You need practice."

Mokuba whooped and eagerly followed his older brother into the sky. The others watched the two of them become small dark flecks in the sky before turning their attention back to their conversation again.

"So, Joey," Malik said with a glance at his fellow blond. "Care to tell us what's been going on between you and Seto in our absence?"

Joey couldn't help but blush a little at the way he said it. Malik made it sound as if he and Seto had some kind of secret love affair and had _purposely_ snuck off to get some alone-time…

…Never mind.

"What do you mean?" He asked and scratched the back of his head. "Nothing's been going on. Like I said, a little problem with the host, otherwise, we've just been waiting for you guys."

He'd rather eat a box full of smashed glass than tell them about his and Seto's… 'sleeping-arrangements'.

_And why the hell did that sound so perverted in his own head_?!

"Mhmmmm?" Malik said with a raised eyebrow and an I'm-not-buying-it kind of smirk. Joey felt cold sweat break out all over his body, and he was desperately trying to keep his blushing at bay.

"What kind of problems with the host?" Isis asked, and Joey could have kissed her for the change of subject.

Then he remembered what had actually _happened_ with Siegfried.

Damn!

But in Joey's head it was a lot less embarrassing to tell them about the Siegfried-incident that the thing with Seto, and so he sighed deeply, opened his mouth and told them the whole thing. How Siegfried and his men had found them, how the lord had invited them to his home and later asked Joey to have dinner with him, and how things had gone downhill from there. He didn't say a word about how he had gone back outside and fallen asleep in Seto's arms, though.

By the end of it, Marik was howling in laughter and Bakura was smirking. The others were trying to keep from laughing, but failed miserably when Joey glared at the werewolf with a red face.

"Aw, human!" Marik managed to get out between his laughter. "What are we supposed to do with you? Such a horny-men-magnet you are!"

"Marik, behave," Ryou scolded, but his voice was trembling and there was no conviction behind the words.

"I would have done anything to be there when you punched him," Bakura said with a sadistic grin. "He's stayed in bed for two days now? Sounds like a complete wimp to me!"

"Well, I hit him pretty hard," Joey said and scratched the back of his head again. He smiled a little. Now that he thought about it… it was actually kind of funny. Hysterical, even. Before he knew it, he was laughing along with the others, feeling better than he had in two days.

It took him a few minutes to realize that Isis wasn't laughing along with them, and it wasn't because of her exhaustion after healing Seto. She was watching him closely with a frown on her face.

"Uh, Isis?" he said, his grin fading a little. "Something wrong?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, and Joey raised an eyebrow.

"I already told you I'm fine," he said. "Why are you-"

"So you're telling me a guy kissed you only a day or two after you were kidnapped and almost raped, and it didn't affect you at all?"

Something cold welled up inside Joey, effectively killing the mirth. He looked away from her worried face and studied the grass beneath him.

"I… I was pretty drunk," he mumbled, but that wasn't a good explanation at all.

He… he _had_ been affected, hadn't he? Kissing Siegfried had felt so disgusting… he had felt so dirty! It had happened so fast that Joey hadn't had time to think, and afterwards he'd been too drunk to analyze his reaction, but now… now he remembered just how repulsive it had been. And not because Siegfried was ugly (he might be a pansy, but he _was_ good-looking) or a bad kisser, because he wasn't! It's just that… any kind of sexual contact felt so wrong now. With _anyone._ He couldn't even think about it without seeing pictures of Anubis flash before his eyes.

"Joey, I don't know exactly what happened with that monster, and I understand it must have felt terrible, but maybe you should try talking about-"

"You know what, Isis?" Joey interrupted and looked up at her again, determination flashing in his eyes. "I really don't think _talking about it_ will help. I just want forget it ever happened, and that's not gonna happen if I _talk _about it."

"Joey, be reasonab-"

"Drop it, sis," Malik advised her and shot Isis a look. The whole gang sat tense and quiet now; not a single trace was left of their earlier laughter. The healer looked almost angry, but didn't say anything more. She was too tried to argue, and the pained look in Joey's eyes stopped any further discussion.

"Okay," she said instead. "I'm sorry I brought it up, Joey."

"S'okay," he muttered and stood up from his place in the grass. "I think I'm gonna… take a little walk."

"Joey, you don't have to-"

"It's okay, Yug," Joey said and shot the smaller boy a reassuring smile. "Isis just got me thinking. I need to sort some things out."

Isis looked a little relieved. So he wasn't just gonna let it be, after all. Yugi still looked a little worried, but nodded and let Joey walk off.

"I'm worried about him," Isis said as soon as he was out of hearing range.

"We're all worried about him," Ryou agreed with a sigh and petted Bakura, who was lying beside him on the ground. "But Joey's strong. He'll get through this. And we can't push him; he has to sort things out at his own pace. Give him time."

"You're right," Isis sighed, looking more tired than ever. "But I still worry."

"You should try to get some rest, sis," Malik said and patted her shoulder. "You haven't slept properly since Yami got you from the village."

"Yeah, same thing goes for you, Yami," Yugi said and looked at the bird who was sitting comfortably on his shoulder now. "You haven't gotten any rest in over three days!"

"It's fine, aibou," Yami said softly. "I'll survive." Suddenly, he seemed to frown. "Although I have to wonder… where are our things? Surely Seto and Joey must have gotten them out of the city."

"Shit! We forgot to ask them!" Malik said with a frown. "All our maps and stuff…"

"Later," Marik groaned and pulled Malik over to sit close to him. "Let's rest for now."

"For once I agree with the werewolf," Bakura growled in irritation. "So why don't all of you Just. _Shut. Up_?"

* * *

"There he is! The prince!"

"The one the lord found in the forest? Who knocked him out?"

"Which other prince could it be, stupid?! He has a dragon with him too! Huge and white!"

"Yeah… according to some of the guards, he's not really a prince, but a magician, and the dragon is his creation!"

"Oh yeah? Either way, the lord was apparently really interested in him, and even tried to seduce him!"

"Hehe… so that's why he knocked him out? Figures!"

Whispers and curious eyes followed Joey as he sauntered through the garden with the smell of roses heavy in the air and the dirt crunching under his feet. But he didn't hear them at all, so caught up in his own thoughts was he.

Isis' words and his own thoughts were spinning around in his head.

Because of what Anubis had done, he couldn't even _imagine _anything sexual anymore. Whenever he tried, it all just morphed into pictures of that freak… pictures which made him want to hurl. He'd never, ever had a problem with sex before. Joey had had his share of make-out sessions in his life (how else would he have been able to figure out his sexuality?), and it had never grossed him out before now. And most of his partners hadn't been anywhere_ near_ Siegfried when it came to talent, looks and charm.

That was it. The whole thing with Anubis had truly scarred him. Joey had heard about, and even met a woman who had been raped once, and she couldn't even _kiss _her boyfriend anymore. Was it the same for Joey now? Had Anubis' return affected him the same way? And if it had… was it for life? He didn't know, but either way, it frightened him.

Joey was still a virgin. He had always believed that the right moment would come with the right person. Sure, he'd fooled around with a few boys and girls, but it had never gone beyond kissing. To him, it had been so natural to wait for the right moment. Now… he wasn't so sure he'd ever get the chance. Even if he found _the one_… would he be able to touch them- let them touch him- without flinching or being sick? Right now it didn't look that way.

So now what? He'd be scared of sex for the rest of his life? He'd be denied the happiness of being with another person just because some insane freak from beyond the grave decided to become obsessed with him?

The worst part of all this was that he knew, _knew_ so very well, that sex wasn't like that! It was the most wonderful thing two people in love could do! He fucking _knew_ that! And yet there was a big part of him which couldn't help but cringe at the very thought of it.

Sighing heavily, feeling afraid, angry, sad and frustrated at the same time, Joey sank down on one of the steps which led up to the castle balcony. He leaned back, ignoring the other steps digging into his back, and stared blankly up at the blue sky as his brain kept working at full speed.

Okay, he couldn't break down just because of this! He had to stay positive. Everything wasn't screwed (no pun intended) yet. This might just be a temporary thing. Come on, he's been kidnapped and molested just a few days ago! It was only natural that he'd be affected for some time. It would probably fade away as time went on. And if it didn't… then… he'd just have to find another solution.

Besides, he wasn't in any hurry or anything. There was only one guy he was attracted to in any way right now, and he wasn't even a human.

Joey couldn't help a small grimace at that.

It was true. He liked Seto. He liked him a lot, and wouldn't have minded at all to spend some more time with him before the others found them. But for him to be _sexually _attracted to Seto… that would be too weird. And not in a good way!

And yet… he couldn't imagine himself with anyone else either. He _couldn't_ have sex with Seto, but he didn't _want to _have sex with anyone else. Not that he wanted to have sex with Seto either… not like _this_, at least! But there was a difference between the two: to _want _and to be _unable_. A difference he couldn't explain, but felt in his very soul. Somehow, he just _knew_, that if he _could have_… he probably would have felt like that for Seto.

But didn't that solve his problem? If he didn't _want_ to have sex, why was he even thinking about this? Or was it that he really _did_ want it, but his subconscious was telling him he didn't, so that he wouldn't be to upset because he _couldn't_?

…This was getting complicated… Joey's head was starting to hurt.

"A-_hem_."

Joey looked up, staring straight into the arrogant eyes of an elderly butler. He blinked a few times in confusion as the man glared down at him, a few nervous maids hiding behind him with equally inhospitable looks on their faces.

"Pardon me, _Sir_," the butler practically spat, not looking the least bit apologetic. "But just because we can't chase you and your… your _pack_ out of here without the master's orders does _not_ mean we want you sitting around on the stairs, taking up unnecessary space and making us all feel uncomfortable."

Joey blinked and felt anger well up inside him. He was just about to open his mouth and snap back at the man when a thought crossed his mind. He _had_ knocked out the owner of this place, even though the man had shown him nothing but hospitality ever since he came here. Not to mention that he and the rest of the gang- a gang who was less that normal at that- had practically _sieged _the lawn. He really wasn't in any position to argue with the guy. Therefore, he managed to control his anger, and simply stood up and sent the butler an angry glare of his own, before stalking off to where the others were still sitting.

* * *

Seto and Mokuba didn't get back until dusk, and by then the rest of the gang had been able to get all their stuff back. (Bakura and Marik had threatened one of the servants until the poor man ran off and fetched them all of their stuff, which was hidden in one of the spare-bedrooms in the castle.) The two dragons looked content and relaxed, and since Joey and the others had eaten too, (Bakura and Marik had hunted down a few rabbits in the forest, and Ryou had lit a fire) now they all sat down to discuss their next move.

"We should leave as soon as we can," Seto told them while Mokuba snuggled up to his side contently. "Siegfried won't stay in bed forever, and once his memory comes back, he'll want revenge or something. Not to mention that the servants are getting very tired of our mere presence."

"Bet you just wanna get your human away from the competition," Marik snickered and didn't care about the icy/heated glares he received from a stoic Seto and a blushing Joey.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Seto told him without the slightest hint of feeling in his voice, but Marik's grin just widened. Malik drove an elbow into his stomach to keep him form answering.

"Might I remind you, Seto, that I've been flying for three days straight, and none of us had slept well since the separation, or even before that?" Yami cut in seriously from his place on Yugi's shoulder.

"Yeah," Yugi agreed. "We need some peace and quiet, so we can sleep and eat properly. We're all exhausted!"

Everyone except Seto nodded in agreement. Joey understood where the dragon was coming from in all this. He too wanted to get away from this place and go _home_- especially after the whole encounter with that butler earlier- but at the same time he knew that the others needed rest. It wasn't fair of Seto to expect them to keep struggling when they hadn't slept in almost four days!

"I think we should try to get out of here before we put up camp and sleep," Seto said. "Siegfried might be plotting something against us right now. People like him are bound to hold a grudge _and_ seek terrible revenge."

"I think we'll be able to handle whatever that pansy throws our way," Bakura growled. "If the guy had to stay in bed for three days just because of a punch, then I don't think he's all that strong. Besides, I'm not taking a single step more until I've gotten some sleep."

"Isis needs rest after all this healing. It's hard wok; especially fractures such as yours, Seto," Malik cut in, and received a gentle smile from his sister.

Seto scanned the gang for a moment and frowned.

"I can't win this, can I?" Then, without waiting for an answer. "Very well, we'll leave tomorrow. But I'll stay awake tonight and keep watch. That lord might try something while we're sleeping otherwise."

"I can take second guard," Joey volunteered. "I think the two of us are the only ones who have gotten proper rest in the last few days."

With another glance and nod from the others, it was settled, and everyone started to get ready for the night. Blankets were rolled out and everyone settled down, Yugi and Yami, Bakura and Ryou curled up together, Malik sleeping beside his sister, and Marik had to deal with sleeping by himself tonight. Mokuba fell asleep where he was lying beside his brother, and Joey too slept alone, although he was lying just a little bit away from Seto and Mokuba.

The older dragon did indeed stay awake and alert. As the night grew darker and everyone's breathing evened out, he still stayed completely still. He had to appear as if he was sleeping too if he wanted to take their enemies by surprise, should they try to attack.

But apparently, Isis was determined to blow his cover.

"It's been strangely quiet in the village since all of you left," she stated, and it was obvious she hadn't been asleep at all. "Everyone's just been walking around, minding their own business, planning Malik's birthday-party and everything. It's a bit unnerving."

"Hn," Seto murmured softly, not in the mood to talk.

"I lived with Mai until Yami came to get me a few days ago. Not that I saw her all that much. Not only have the two of us been busy with the party, but apparently she's been working on some kind of _potion_ someone asked her to make. Does that sound familiar?"

_Ah, so THAT'S what this was about. _

"She told me _you_ asked her to make it, Seto."

"Hn."

"She also told me what it was for. And why you _wanted _her to make it."

_If you already know, why are you asking? _

"Just make your point, Isis." But he already had a pretty good idea what her point was.

The healer sat up on her blanket now, mindful so that she wouldn't wake Malik. Her wise dark eyes met Seto's, unwavering.

"It's a terrible idea, Seto."

"Mai seemed to think so too. You two have been talking about this."

"Yes." No one could say she wasn't honest. "And it's a terrible idea. This is a decision Joey will have to make on his own, without your manipulation and risky games. He's fragile right now, after that whole thing with Anubis. He doesn't need _that_."

"He's not made of glass."

"I know, but that doesn't mean he's made of stone either."

As if he heard them, the blond in question whimpered once and turned over onto his side. He didn't trash around, talk in his sleep or cry, but his face was contorted in pain, and a drop of sweat ran down his temple and cheek. His breathing was heavy.

Seto recognized these signs, and with a soft grumble he reached out and gently lifted the blond, bringing him into the safe haven of his arms. It only took a minute or so for Joey's breathing to even out, and his features to smoothen. Isis watched this with tenderness, but the stern undertone was still there in her voice when she spoke.

"You care for him deeply, and those feelings are clouding your judgement."

"I'm not a child to be scolded, Isis," Seto told her with a glare, showing that he was growing tired of this discussion fast. "I know exactly what I'm doing. I made a choice, and I've already had this conversation with Mai. I'm not going to change my mind." He looked down at the sleeping human and dragged a claw gently through his hair. His eyes softened. "I'm trying to make him stay."

Isis stayed silent for a few more moments, thinking and watching. In the end she sighed heavily.

"You are so stubborn," she mumbled. "But if you're really going to do this, then I will do anything in my power to help Joey, should it fail and you hurt him."

"I won't hurt him."

"We shall have to see." She lay back down and closed her eyes, even though she was sure she wouldn't be able to get any sleep tonight. "Be careful, Prince of Dragons. The heart of another being is a fragile thing. Make sure to handle it with silken gloves."

Seto didn't answer, but he rolled his eyes to show what he thought about her so-called _warnings_. Isis wasn't offended. She was used to it; it was just the way Seto was.

"Would you mind if I told the others?" Isis asked after a moment of silence.

"Tell anyone you want, as long as he doesn't find out," Seto answered shortly. "Although Yami already knows."

"Of course." Sometimes, Yami seemed to know everything.

The silence dragged on for a long time. In the end Isis actually did fall asleep, and when she did, Mokuba squirmed a little, and yawned widely.

"Big brother…"

Seto looked down at the most precious creature in his world.

"You heard what we said?"

"U-huh… you mad?"

"No, just make sure you do something about that nasty habit of yours. Eaves-dropping is very unbecoming."

"Sure." Another yawn. "Seto?"

"Hm?"

"I hope it works."

Seto looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"No matter what the others say… I know you won't hurt him. And… Joey cares about you too. Besides…" he smiled sleepily and curled in as close to his brother as he could. Instinctively, Seto wrapped his wing around his smaller frame. "It's nice… having another big brother around. I wish Joey would stay with us too. He's changed so many things… for the better."

Seto didn't say anything, but silently admired his younger brother. He himself might be intelligent, but Mokuba had something he himself could never hope to have: insight in other people's hearts and minds. He would be _truly _brilliant in a few years, Seto knew.

"Go back to sleep, little brother. We will talk more tomorrow."

"Okay, Seto," Mokuba answered, yawning for the third time. "Night… love you."

"Love you too."

Seto never got around to awakening Joey for his shift. He stayed awake all night, plagued by Isis', Mai's and Mokuba's words, as well as thoughts of the blond boy lying in front of him in (now) peaceful sleep.

* * *

Joey was awakened from a night of deep sleep by Ryou a few hours before dawn. Everyone else was already up and running; their very light cargo had already been loaded onto Seto's back, and Malik and Isis stood bent over one of the maps, checking out their route to get home.

"We need to leave," Ryou told him, "there are people moving inside the castle. Seto thinks they might be planning something."

In a second Joey was wide-awake. He quickly stood up and pulled a hand thorough his hair before rolling up his blanket and carrying it over to Seto.

"Problem?" he asked, glancing at the dragon.

"Not sure, but I'd better be safe than sorry," Seto answered, not taking his eyes off the castle for a moment. "If we need it, we can always stop somewhere else and get some more rest, but I don't want us to stay here." Joey followed his gaze and saw a few shadows moving behind the windows. It was still too dark to see them properly, but he didn't doubt that they were watching.

"Everything's ready," Yami declared and changed into his larger from, allowing Yugi to climb onto his back, as usual.

"We'll be heading east from here," Malik told Seto. "You remember the route I showed you?"

"No problem," Seto answered and stood still while Isis took place on his back.

Just as Joey was about to follow the woman's example, the castle-doors flew open and a group of soldiers (Joey recognized some of them from a few days ago) ran out into the garden, creating a half-circle around their little group. Siegfried stepped out with his head held high and hair swishing in the wind, dressed meticulously in his usual pink suit. There wasn't a single sign of his apparent 'injuries' as he glared at the small group with cold eyes, pointed and said:

"Hold it right there!"

Seto, Joey, Mokuba, Isis, Yami, Yugi, Marik, Malik, Ryou and Bakura stared at him blankly for a moment, then Bakura- ever the blunt one- glanced at Joey and smirked.

"I was right," he stated. "He _IS_ a pansy!"

A smug grin spread over Seto's face at the words. Siegfried apparently heard the wolf too, because he looked completely shocked and insulted for a moment, before his face contorted in fury.

"How _dare_ you?!" He spat, and the soldiers lifted their bows and pointed sharp arrows at the gang. Joey got a strange sense of Déjà Vu. "I have offered you nothing but hospitality! _This _is how you repay me?!"

"We are as thankful as can be, my lord," Seto called to him mockingly, smirk still in place. "But your hospitality truly wasn't worth all that much."

And while Siegfried's face started turning red from anger, Bakura grabbed Ryou, Malik held onto Marik's back, and Seto gently lifted Joey. In a matter of seconds the two dragons and black hawk was in the air, and the wolf and werewolf had taken a large leap right across the pond, disappearing into the forest towards east.

"Fire! Fire!" Siegfried almost _screamed_, and his men took aim and let their arrows leap. From Yami's back, Yugi muttered something in a strange language, and every single one of the arrows caught fire and fell to the ground. Mokuba laughed at the look on the soldiers' faces, then took off in the same direction as Marik and Bakura. Yami followed close behind, smirking and praising Yugi for his quick thinking.

Just as Seto was about to turn and follow Joey looked up at him with a small grin.

"Fly in a little lower!" He told him. "I wanna give our _host_ something for the trouble he's been through."

Seto raised an eyebrow, but did as he asked and flew in a little lower, knowing that the soldiers wouldn't be able to get their arrows ready fast enough.

"Thanks for the food and wine!" Joey screamed to Siegfried from the air and suddenly unsheathed one of the two swords he had strapped around his waist. It was the silver sword with sapphires which Seto had given him when they thought his own sword was lost.

"Here's a little gift for the trouble! And for god's sake, dye your hair or something!" Joey called and threw the sword at him. Siegfried barely had time to jump backwards before the sword buried itself in his lawn at the exact same spot that he's been standing a few seconds earlier.

"You could have killed him," Isis commented from Seto's back as the dragon levitated higher again and took off after their companions.

"He'll forgive me once he realizes how much that sword's worth," Joey answered casually. "No matter what you guys might think, I _did _owe him for the bath and food."

"The molestation he put you through would have been payment enough," Seto muttered, looking a little sullen all of a sudden. "Why waste such a fine weapon on scum like him?"

"As if he had time to molest me before I reacted," Joey snorted and gave him a teasing smirk. "Besides; you've got plenty of swords like that in the cave at home. I've seen them!"

Seto shot him a cold glare and snorted, but didn't say anything more. He seemed to be in an awfully good mood today (for Seto, anyway). Joey suspected it was because they were finally getting away from Siegfried.

* * *

It took them four days to finally get home. Four slow-moving, uneventful days. They stopped every night to eat and rest, and took their time while flying, to make sure they wouldn't tire themselves out. Even the journey over the ocean passed without a single mishap this time. Mokuba was even allowed to fly over by himself.

As the dawn of the last day came and they all got ready for the final spurt, Joey felt a strange sense of elation fill him; it was the anticipation of their long-awaited home-coming. And the others seemed to be feeling the same way. Even Bakura's spirit was a little higher than usual (he only complained half-heartedly now). They had only been gone for about two and a half week, but it felt like an eternity, and none of them slept properly the last night.

It was strange for Joey; feeling such longing for a place he'd only been living in for a few months, but it was true none the less. Joey had missed the cave, the village and the people in it. He found himself wondering if everything looked the same, if it would feel any different being back, how people would greet them and so on…

But at the same time there was something nagging at the back of his mind. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't loose sight of his goal again. He _had to_ get home soon! He'd already wasted way too much time here; who knew what condition his family was in? Therefore, as soon as he got the chance, he'd talk to Seto… ask the dragon to take him home. Because after all they had been through, all the dangers they had faced, Joey couldn't imagine _why_ he wouldn't trust him now. He himself certainly trusted _Seto_! With his life if he had to!

And as for that painful stinging in his heart which just refused to go away… it would probably fade with time, once he got home. Besides, he wouldn't leave _completely_. He would make sure to visit sometimes… and have the others visit Domino too. It wasn't what he really wanted… but it was the right thing to do… the_ only _thing to do.

But Joey forgot all about these thoughts once the dark, familiar silhouette of the hollow mountain came into view. His heart made a little flip and his stomach soared, and beneath him he could feel Seto increase his speed a little, just as eager.

All the children of the village came running in a large pack when they landed on the meadow between the village and lake. They laughed and jumped and chatted wildly, and practically attacked Joey and Isis as the two slipped off Seto's back. A few also latched on to the dragon, who stood completely still while they climbed him like a tree and started firing off questions.

The grown-ups followed at a much slower pace, but their greeting wasn't any less warm. Solomon, who was far from young, actually _ran _over and hugged his grandson and Ryou as soon as the two had left their respective protectors. The other villagers patted them all on the back and smiled warmly, even at Joey, and the blond's heart swelled at the feeling of belonging completely.

A wet kiss landed on his cheek, and when Joey turned around to look at the guilty one, his eyes met dark violet gems.

"Welcome back, honey," Mai told him warmly, with one of her usual seductive winks. "Good to have you."

"It's good to _be_ back," Joey said and looked around. "Looks like nothing's changed. You've kept everything under control."

"Of course," Mai said and put her hands on her hips. "It's not like that's any different from before you left."

Joey laughed. He'd missed her.

"Come on," she said and linked her arm with his. "Let's go to the village. I bet you guys have _so _much to tell us. We never got anything out of Yami when he came back. He just took Isis and left again."

"Believe me, Mai," Joey told her and let himself be dragged towards the village. He didn't even notice how Mai pointedly ignored Seto's presence. "It's a very long story."

They spent the rest of the day hanging around in the village, catching up, laughing, talking and telling stories of their adventures. The children were particularly caught up in the stories: of the storm, of the dragon city, of their encounter with Anubis (although they all made sure to leave out any details), of Seto's wing (even though the dragon would much rather not talk about it) and of Siegfried (once again not mentioning details).

It wasn't until the sky was turning dark that Seto, Joey, Mokuba and Isis decided to fly back up to the cave and sleep. Joey found that he longed terribly for his own bed.

"Make sure to get some proper rest tonight," Mai told them with a grin as they were just about to leave. "The feast tomorrow is sure to take a lot out of you. You'll need all the sleep you can get, because you sure won't get any tomorrow."

Seto's and her eyes met for a brief moment, but Mai quickly looked away. None of the others noticed it.

The cave looked, felt, even smelled the exact same way it had done when they left it, and that was a great comfort for Joey in some way. It didn't take him long to say goodnight to the others and wander off to his own room, because he was truly tired. There was just something about coming home which took it out of him. His room too, was exactly like he'd left it. Right down to the sloppily made bed. Joey quickly slid out of his clothes and crawled in between the sheets, falling asleep within the span of a few minutes.

Only to wake up a while later in cold sweat. He had forgotten about the nightmares. How could he have forgotten about the nightmares? He'd been sleeping close to Seto during these last few days, and hadn't had a single bad dream. There seemed to be something about the dragon that made even his _subconscious_ feel secure.

Joey was halfway debating if he should sneak into the dragon's room and sleep there for the night, but quickly pushed the thought away. What was he; three? It would be way too embarrassing! Besides, Mokuba was there, and he didn't want the drakling to know about his nightmares…

No, Joey decided. He'd just have to get over it! It wasn't like he could use Seto as his teddy-bear for the rest of his life! He'd leave here soon, for heaven's sake!

Therefore, he rolled over onto his other side and closed his eyes in determination. But as usual after one of those dreams, he couldn't sleep. It wasn't until dawn that he passed out from pure exhaustion.

But it was okay…. He had to get used to it.

* * *

"_You couldn't talk any sense into him either?" _

"_He is stubborn."_

"_Tell me something I don't know! Damn pigheaded bastard!" _

"_I'm right here, you know."_

"_Yeah, I know…. So you're really going to do this?"_

"_You know I will. And yes, I already know you think it's a bad idea. I'm still not changing my mind." _

"_Okay, I guess there's nothing more I can do to stop you… But if he's harmed in any way, I'll kill you." _

"_Why does everyone assume that it will hurt him?"_

"_Just a warning! Anyway… when are you gonna do it?" _

"_Tomorrow, obviously. It will have to happen at the party… But don't worry; I'll let you know when. Be prepared."_

**Aaaaaand they're back home! Whew, that took a lot longer than I thought it would. Probably because it was so boring, boring, boring to write! Stupid-and-yet-necessary interludes! .**

**Anyway, I am once again sorry for not listing the reviewers' names OR answering all your wonderful comments, but it's already after midnight, and I have school tomorrow! I promise to do it in the next chapter! Right now I just don't have the time. Hope this chapter somewhat makes up for it…. It's boring, I know, and not worthy of ANY of your wonderful and fun reviews, but trust me, the next chapter will be A LOT better! **

**Okay, I've got nothing else to say now except… MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, THE POTION WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! STAY TUNED! XD AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!**

**Until next time! **

**R&R!!**


	26. Tonight Belongs to Us

Chapter twenty-five: Tonight belongs to us

The next day was filled with preparations and anticipation, and not even Joey, who had barely slept all night and didn't feel the least bit rested, could resist the excitement which seemed to flow through every single member of the village.

They had been preparing this feast for almost two and a half week, so it was bound to be one of the greatest entertainments the village had ever seen.

Torches had been put _everywhere_, and the fire in the middle of the village was huge. The children were running around and _begging _their parents to light it soon, but the gown-ups refused, saying they had to wait until sun-down. A few kids had even been brave enough to ask Seto if he could light the fire for them, but the dragon had only stared at them blankly until they got the hint and slunk away.

Four long tables had been put in a large square around the fire, and apparently everyone was meant to sit on the outside of the square, because on the inside there would be space to dance close to the flames.

And speaking of dance… during the last few weeks different groups in the village, raging from young kids to teenagers, had been working on different numbers to entertain everyone with. Dance, song, plays, games, tale-telling: everything was allowed and anyone could participate. They made colourful costumes, practiced lines and scenes, planned game-rules, rehearsed lyrics and worked on their rhythm and timing to the sound of beautifully strung instrument. The spirits were high and the mood relaxed- this was meant to be fun for everyone, and thus far, it had been.

A few girls had picked beautiful flowers and plants, dried them and hung them everywhere, making the wonderful smell of flowers spread through the village. The youngest children had made drawings and decorations which had been fitted in with the flowers- the result being funny and pretty.

Wine- stored in large wooden casks- had been imported from one of the cities outside the forest. Bread, fruit, vegetables, steaks, potatoes, cakes, cookies, and so much more was being placed onto the tables, and the children had to be chased off constantly so that they wouldn't steal it.

And in the middle of it all, Joey was trying to find something to do.

"Just give me something to help with!" he almost _begged_ Mai, trailing after the woman as she carried a large tray of mashed potatoes out to the tables. "I'm getting all itchy running around and doing nothing while the rest of you are working! Isn't there _anything_?!"

"Already told you, sweetie, we're almost done," Mai said and gracefully evaded a couple of kids as they raced after each other through the village. She glanced up at the sky, which was turning pink. "We'll light the torches soon anyway. Take it easy."

"But I'm _bored_," Joey whined, not caring that he made a pair of girls standing a few metres away giggle. "You and Isis and Malik and everyone else are taking care of the last preparations, Yugi, Yami, Ryou and Bakura are off rehearsing this 'special trick' they'll be showing us tonight, Mokuba's so hyper you can't talkto him right now, I don't even wanna _know_ where Marik and Malik are, and Seto's dropped off the face of the earth since he brought us down here this morning." He frowned deeply at the last part of his rant, "where _is _Seto, anyway?"

"Oh, you know what he is like, always off doing his own thing," Mai said and put the plate down, not even looking at Joey as she turned and started to walk back to her house. Joey followed her stubbornly.

"Any you," he said, glaring at her back, "are avoiding me! Everyone is avoiding me! But _you_ in particular! What the hell is going on with you, Mai? Some plot or something?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Mai said with a laugh, sounding only the slightest bit nervous. "Just because no one's paying attention to you doesn't mean anything's up, Joey. Honestly, with this whole feast going on and everything, you shouldn't be surprised that we don't have time for you. There's so much to do-"

"And yet you can't come up with anything _I _can do," Joey interrupted and stepped in front of her as she tried to escape into her house. "Mai, I'm not stupid."

"I know that."

"So tell me what's up!"

"Would you stop being so paranoid?" She sighed and rolled her eyes, finally meeting his gaze. "Nothing is up! There's just so much to do, and I don't have time for you right now."

A brief glaring-match took place between the two blondes, then Joey suddenly decided to change tactics. He took a step back and peered at Mai from under his fringe with hurt eyes. Mai had to hold back a smile at the look; he'd picked it up from Mokuba, no doubt.

"One would think that after all the time I've been away, my dear friend would _wanna_ spend some time with me, but then I get the cold shoulder like this! Did I do something, Mai? Are you angry with me?"

"Stop it, you're acting like a baby," she said and rolled her eyes again, unable to keep the smile at bay anymore. "I promise we'll be spending some more time together toni… eh… uhrm… _tomorrow_, Joey."

The slip-up was a fatal mistake, because Joey instantly noticed it. Before anyone could blink, the hurt look was gone, replace by a sharp glare. He stepped in closer, getting in Mai's face.

"Why not tonight?" He snapped, following her as she took a few steps backwards. "You can't hang out tonight? What's gonna happen tonight, Mai? You've got something planned, haven't you? Does it involve me? It does involve me, doesn't it?! That's why you're trying to get away from me! What is it? You're being terribly unfair, not telling me! Do the others know? Is it a prank? Is it a surprise? Is it something embarrassing? Something mean? Something dangerous? You wouldn't do anything dangerous to me, would you?! Exactly how long have you been planning this? What _is _'this'?! Why won't you tell me?! I though we were friends, Mai! Don't do this to me!"

"_Isis!_" Mai suddenly shriek as the healer came walking out of a house nearby. "Honey, would you be a dear and get this puppy off my back? He's in the way of my work." And she pushed Joey away from herself with an irritated snort.

Isis raised an eyebrow in amusement and walked over, dressed in one of her nicest dresses: a cream-coloured robe with a golden ribbon around her waist and shoulders. A golden necklace hung around her neck, and another golden ribbon with an emerald in the middle had been placed around her head, hanging down beautifully over her forehead. She looked almost regal in Joey's opinion.

"Joey, if you're not going to help, at least stay out of the way," Isis scolded him gently, and then, before Joey had time to protest, she turned to Mai and grabbed her arm. "I need to borrow Mai for a moment. I need some help with the _drinks_," she sent Mai a sharp look and the blonde woman nodded in understanding. Before Joey knew it, they had slunk off into Mai's house.

Well, damn! They could be fast when they wanted!

"Oh, and Joey," Isis said, sticking her head out the door again. "I took the liberty of fixing you some clothes for tonight. They're at Yugi's place. He said you could go and get them whenever you wanted."

And then she was gone again.

Joey stared at the spot where she'd stood only a moment earlier, then he sighed, raked a hand through his hair, turned and headed for Yugi's house.

Might as well do as she said.

It was so infuriating, but Joey had had this nagging feeling in the back of his mind all day. Mixed in with the anticipation for tonight was a sense that something wasn't quite right. And the fact that no one had time (_or wanted_) to talk to him only made it worse. Seto had brought them down to the village that very same morning, claiming that they should help with the last preparations, and then went off on somewhere Joey didn't have a clue. He'd spent all day hanging out and helping a little, but apparently, there wasn't much to do; hence his discussion with Mai earlier.

Mai and Isis' avoidance, as well as Seto's strange disappearance only confirmed his feeling, but no matter how much he pressed, Joey couldn't get anything out of the two women. And they were the only ones available; the mages were off somewhere; as were Marik and Malik, and as for Mokuba… he was running around like a headless chicken with the children, waiting for the torches to be lit. Joey had talked to the drakling and mentioned his strange feeling earlier that day, but Mokuba had just looked at him with those wide, confused eyes, and Joey had let it be.

It bothered him, he realized as he stepped into Yugi's home and found the clothes Isis had mentioned. He'd never been kept in the dark like this before. At least not here. Seto's involvement (and Seto _had_ to be involved: why else would he just disappear like that?) was worst of all. The dragon had always been straight-forward and honest with him, and it just felt… _wrong_ to know that Seto kept something from him. Especially since it seemed to concern him. It irritated him. Not to mention that... it kinda _hurt _a little.

Snorting and pushing that thought aside, Joey unbuttoned his shirt and started to change. He didn't have a right to feel hurt by Seto's behaviour. He intended to leave very soon, anyway. Seto didn't owe him anything. It was stupid to believe that the dragon cared, and even more stupid to be hurt by that knowledge! He only felt irritated because he couldn't get a hold of the dragon, to ask him to take him home. Yeah, that was it! He could pretend that was it…

It didn't take Joey long to change, but once he was done, the sky was finally turning dark and the children were running around like mad while their parents finally lit the torches and fire.

The clothes Isis had fixed for him were a beautiful red shirt with a pair of simple black pants, not to mention his belts with the sword. It wasn't the most elegant or flashy of outfits, but Joey had always been most comfortable in causal garments. Besides: it looked good on him.

He stepped out of the house and right into the flurry of people that had now filled the village.

Everyone was dressed in their finest robes- even the children- and now when the torches were lit, the whole village was surrounded by a beautiful red/yellow/orange glow. A faint smell of smoke mixed with the flowers, creating a strange but not unpleasant scent. The musicians –placed strategically in one of the spaces between the four long tables- had just started playing their first song; a beautiful tune with a good rhythm, making people sway and dance of their own accord.

Joey scanned the village for any of his friends, and was suddenly knocked over by a dark-grey blur. Next thing he knew, he was lying between Mokuba's front-legs, staring up at a grinning face.

"Joey it's started Joey isn't it awesome they've done a great job everything looks great I can't wait till the others get here I've never been to a party like this before and isn't it great?" Mokuba blabbered in a single breath before stepping off of him and lifting him to his feet. "Come on! Let's dance!"

And before Joey knew what was happening, Mokuba had dragged him out among the people who had started to dance. They still weren't many, so there was plenty of space for Mokuba to practice his moves, which he did with vigour. (_Although Mokuba's 'moves' mostly consisted of bouncing around among the other dancers and bobbing his head._) Joey tried to keep up with him, but gave up after only a few minutes. He settled for swaying lightly to the beat while he let Mokuba do his thing (there was no point in trying to communicate with the kid when he was like this), scanning the village again.

All the torches were lit now, and most of the grownups had started to work on the massive fireplace, although it'd take some time to make the whole thing burn. Yugi, Yami, Ryou and Bakura had returned by now; they were standing by one of the cottages and talking animatedly, but when Yugi caught him looking at them he sent Joey a broad smile. The blond grinned back before letting his gaze wander again.

There were no signs of Mai or Isis yet. …Or Seto.

Joey sighed and turned back to Mokuba, deciding to push thoughts of the dragon out of his head for now. No matter what those three were planning, he would _not_ let that destroy his night! He was gonna have fun!

* * *

"Mmm," Malik moaned, pulling lightly at the ropes around his wrists, although he knew they wouldn't give way. His partner's hot tongue slid up his throat form his collarbone, and he closed his eyes and tilted his head back submissively, all the while ignoring every ache and protesting muscle in his spent body. "'S getting late."

"The sun hasn't even set yet."

"Party will be starting soon…"

"We've got time for one more round."

Lips pressed against his own chapped ones before Malik had the chance to answer. Persuasive and demanding. He melted like he'd done so many times already.

"Okay," he simply breathed as Marik pulled back and grinned. "Once more."

Marik almost _purred_ in satisfaction and settled above his bound form, and Malik couldn't help but be excited by his own helplessness.

"My lovely mate," Marik whispered in his ear and nibbled it harshly. "So obedient and dirty… what would your sister think if she found you like this… naked, bound on the ground, completely at my mercy, and _liking it_."

Malik growled a little at that, feeling a hint of irritation that his partner was bringing that up in a situation like this.

"Don't you worry about that," he breathed and then groaned as a hand snuck in between his legs and started massaging. "She's got her hands full right now…"

"Really?" Marik growled and used the fingers of his free hand to penetrate and stretch again… not that Malik _needed _any more stretching… "How come?"

Malik made a small sound of frustration. His sister was the last thing he wanted to discuss right now, but at the same time, he wasn't in control here. Marik held all the cards, and he'd just have to obey the werewolf until he was granted release, which he was already longing for immensely.

"Sh-she's busy helping Seto with his p-plan," he panted as the two fingers vibrated against that sensitive gland inside him. It felt so good…

"Mmmh… what plan?" Marik demanded while watching his mate's face closely, loving the helpless pleasure which was displayed there. Never had he believed that Malik would be this open with him after such a short amount of time, but it seemed like he had been restricting himself for far longer than Marik had thought.

"The plan to- ahh… to get Joey to stay… uhnn…"

Marik frowned and Malik tried to impale himself on the man's fingers, despite his tied wrists. He wanted to tell the other to hurry up, give him more, but who was he to demand? He, who had received such pleasure from this man already. He trusted his partner with this… but he wished Marik would hurry up!

"I haven't heard anything about that plan," Marik said, almost pouting. "Who told you that?"

Malik wanted to cry from frustration. Damn the man and his short attention-span.

"Who do you think?" He managed to sob out. "Isis is my sister. Now please… _please,_ Marik!"

"Huh?" The guy blinked once in question, then a light dawned to him. "Oh, yeah! Right!"

If he hadn't been tied up and turned on, Malik would have glared and smacked him. As it was, he could only whimper softly as the fingers disappeared and was swiftly replaced with something much bigger. His legs wrapped around Marik's waist as he _forced _his screaming back to arch.

For a while the forest around them was filled with moans and panting. Malik held on for dear life as Marik pulled back and surged back into him again and again. The werewolf wasn't gentle in any way, but he didn't want him to be. He loved the harsh tempo and power in Marik's thrusts. It hurt slightly, but mixed with the pleasure as it was now; that pain was exquisite. He only wished his hands had been free, but even that longing brought him pleasure.

"Think it'll work?" Marik asked in the middle of one of Malik's ecstatic screams, and the smaller blond looked up at him with glazed over eyes. The sight caused another spike of arousal to travel through Marik, and he thrust even harder into his partner.

"W…work?" Malik moaned in confusion.

"The dragon's plan," Marik clarified while the hand still fisting Malik's arousal sped up. He smirked between harsh kisses to the boy's neck as Malik groaned in both ecstasy and frustration.

"I don't know!" Malik cried and tried to lift his hips even more, trying to get Marik deeper even though he was already spearing his prostrate with every thrust. "I don't know and don't care right now! Please just shut up and fuck me! Please!"

Marik growled as the walls surrounding his cock constricted, loving the feeling. Malik only did that when he was especially riled up, and didn't seem to know it himself. But Marik wasn't complaining at all.

"Already doing it, in case you haven't noticed," Marik couldn't help but tease some more, but finally showed some mercy on his partner. Three more powerful thrust and they came hard at the same time, floating in ecstasy and moaning each others' names. Marik tried to hold himself up on his forearms while Malik's whole _being_ trembled underneath him and sent wonderful vibrations up his sensitive member.

After what felt like hours the younger of the two finally stilled and just lay there on the ground like a puddle of goo, and only then did Marik allow himself to collapse.

They stayed completely silent for a moment, then Marik swallowed and decided that one last teasing comment wouldn't hurt anyone.

"You know, I hope the dragon's plan works," he mumbled into Malik's neck and felt the man freeze beneath him. He grinned smugly. "The human is kinda amusing at times." He made an attempt to get up in his forearms, but moaned in surprise when Malik's inner passage constricted around him again.

"Nnnnh…" he managed to get out, and moved his hips in circular motions a few times. The warm waves coursing through his body at the motion were wonderful, and Malik bit his lip and whimpered into his shoulder.

"Shouldn't have done that, babe," Marik groaned and started moving his hips again. "God, we're never gonna get out of here…"

The moan he got from his mate in response told him that that might not be a bad thing.

* * *

For about an hour now, Joey had been successful in his attempts to _not_ think about Seto.

He had spent most of the night mingling, dancing, eating and looking at all the funny shows the kids had put together. He'd been having fun; the food and company was great, the kids' entertainments were funny and cute, and the weather was perfect: cool without being cold and with a clear dark sky above their heads. He was laughing and joking around, and the warmth he always associated with _home_ was still present in his chest and stomach.

After dinner Yugi and Ryou showed that trick they had been working on all day. While everyone was still seated at the tables, the two boys walked over to the fire in the middle and gave each other a smile and a nod before starting the show. They chanted a few magical words and made complicated hand-gestures, and after about a minute the fire spit, before it flared violently and two large separate flames rose into the air and practically _danced_ over to Yugi and Ryou, circling the two boys like playful puppies.

Everyone gasped and clapped at the sight. With a light sheen of sweat covering their faces Yugi and Ryou started playing with their flames, ordering them to dance above the villagers' heads to the rhythmic beat of the instruments. The music and flames fit together perfectly. Yugi somehow made his flame look like a long Chinese dragon which made loops in the air and flew around his own body, so close his clothes almost caught fire. Ryou made stunts which looked just as risky, and yet no one worried; the boy's were obviously in control.

At one part of the show Joey glanced over at Yami and Bakura, who were seated a little to the side. The two enchanted mages had their eyes fixed on the younger boys, and they were practically glowing with pride.

And yet… despite the pride, Joey could see a hint of sadness in Yami's eyes, as well as bitterness in Bakura's. He felt a sting of compassion for the two, because in one way, Joey knew what it was like to have feelings for someone you could never truly be with.

And that marked the end of Joey's Seto-free thinking time. Immediately the blond let his eyes scan the village for any signs of white scales or blue eyes, but Seto still wasn't back. Neither were Isis and Mai _or_ Marik and Malik.

He huffed a little at that; wasn't this supposed to be Malik's birthday party? Everyone seemed to have forgotten that completely, and Joey himself decided that there was no point in dwelling on it. Marik and Malik were probably off '_celebrating'_ somewhere by themselves, if the closeness Joey had seen between them in the last few days was any indication.

He tried to return his eyes to Yugi's and Ryou's show, but couldn't help but glance around every now and then, searching for Seto. The third time he caught himself doing it, he sighed and hid his face in his hands.

He really was a hopeless case.

At last Yugi and Ryou let the two flames return to the fire and collapsed in a chair each. They looked exhausted and yet elated, and Joey understood why. He'd heard Mai mention that fire-magic was extremely hard to perform.

And once again he found himself glancing around in search of the blonde bombshell or white dragon. Still no success.

And Joey felt completely pathetic.

"Cheer up!" Mokuba said form beside him and nudged him with his muzzle. The drakling had calmed down a little now, but the cheerful smile was still in place, and as usual Joey couldn't help but answer it with a smile of his own. "Let's go congratulate Yugi and Ryou! That trick was awesome!"

Sighing inwardly, Joey rose from his place and followed the young dragon over to their friends. All the kids had gathered around the two boys and were chatting excitedly like squirrels on crack, and Joey had to lift a few of them out of the way to get to his friends.

"What do you think?" Yugi asked him with a grin while the small girl he was holding in his arms played with a blonde lock of his fringe. "Not bad, was it? Yami said we might not make it, but Ryou and I just _knew_ we could do it! And it was hard, but it felt great!"

"It _looked_ great!" Joey answered and patted him on the back. Then he bent down a picked up a little boy who demanded to be carried. "Makes me wish I could use magic too! That trick was amazing!"

Ryou smiled broadly at him before walking over to Bakura and Yami, who were still sitting in the corner. He held two small kids in his arms, and Bakura almost looked pained as Ryou sat them down in front of him and they started running in circles around the wolf, laughing. Joey grinned at the sight; for all his bad boy-attitude, Bakura would never try to bite the kids. He was almost as whipped by them as he was by Ryou.

"Maybe Bakura should look out," Yugi laughed from beside him. "Ryou might want kids in the future. He loves them so much."

"Poor Bakura," Joey answered with an amused smirk. "Changing diapers and feeding babies would really ruin his image." They both laughed before Joey glanced at Yugi and added teasingly; "Not that he has to worry. Unless Ryou's into bestiality that won't happen anytime soon."

If Joey hadn't been watching Yugi closely, he never would have caught the glint of sadness in the boy's eyes. A glint which was quickly covered by a cheerful smile.

"Well, Ryou do seem the innocent type, but you never know," he answered with a wink, and Joey laughed while frowning on the inside.

"What are you two laughing about?" Yami asked as he suddenly landed on Yugi's shoulder. The boy's smile immediately intensified.

"Making babies," he answered right away, and the laughter which erupted from Joey was real this time, as he watched the look on Yami's face.

"I… see. …Well then, carry on."

But before Yami could spread his wings and fly away again Yugi laughed and patted his feathery back gently.

"Aw Yami, we'll stop if it makes you feel uncomfortable," he promised.

"Oh, I would not want to be a burden."

"Too late: you're sitting on my shoulder, remember?"

"Well, I will just take my leave then."

"Oh, I'm sorry Yami! Did I hit a sore spot? I was just kidding! You've practically weightless, anyway."

Joey watched this exchanged with amusement, then the boy in his arms suddenly tugged at one of his golden locks.

"This is boring!" The small child whined. "Wanna dance!"

Joey grinned at him.

"Well then, your wish is my command! Let's go!"

And he turned on his heels and marched towards the space between the tables and the fire, where couples were already dancing.

"Joey?" he turned around at the mention of his name and met ruby eyes.

"He'll show up eventually, you'll see," Yami said with a knowing twinkle in his eyes, and for some reason Joey could feel a blush rising on his cheeks.

Yami always had known everything.

With a small wave and a grumble, Joey turned again and marched off, leaving a smirking Yami and a slightly confused Yugi behind.

* * *

"_This is it."_

"_Now or never."_

"_The fat lady sings."_

"_No turning back."_

"_End of the road."_

"_Last chance."_

"_Do or die."_

"…_Isn't that a bit extreme, Mai?"_

"_Nope, I told him if it didn't work, I'd kill him."_

"_As if you could ever kill me." _

"_I'd give you a live demonstration if the result wasn't permanent. Now are you gonna do this or not?"_

"_Of course I am."_

"_Well then…"_

"…"

"…"

"…_Aren't you going to try and stop me? No last warning? No admonition?"_

"_Would it help?" _

"_No."_

"_So what's the point."_

"_Hn. Smart move. I'm actually kind of relieved. You were starting to sound like a pair of broken records."_

"_Just shut up and get out there! _

"…_Be careful, Seto…. It's a young man's heart and mind you'll be toying with." _

"_There's the admonishment I was waiting for. So predictable, the two of you."_

"_Get out!" _

* * *

A few more hours had passed, and Joey was bored. All the younger kids had been sent off to bed by now, and the fire- which was still burning as strongly and merrily as before- was surrounded by couples dancing. Every now and then Joey would spot Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba out there with some random girl or boy, laughing and joking good-naturedly. He himself had declined from a long line of dance-offers; he'd been dancing so much his feet were hurting, and he was perfectly fine just standing at the sidelines for a while, listening to the band.

Yami was sitting on the back of a chair with Bakura lying on the ground beside him. The wolf had taken the liberty of stealing a whole grilled chicken from the table, and no one dared protesting. Now he was chewing on it happily (or well… as happily as Bakura ever did things) all the while he and his birdlike friend kept an eye on their wards.

Seto, Isis and Mai were still missing. Marik and Malik had shown up about an hour ago with wrinkled clothes, looking tired and sated. No one had asked them what they'd been doing. They had simply been sent off to Mai's house to clean up, and that was that. Now they were sitting at one of the tables, talking to a few middle-aged men. Or well, Malik was talking, and Marik was just sitting there, looking unbelievably smug because the other boy was sitting in his lap without protest.

As for the other three… Joey was starting to think they wouldn't show up, and that made disappointment well up inside him like a bitter liquid. He was desperately trying to tell himself it was only because he needed to ask Seto to take him home, but it was useless to lie: he wanted to hang out with Seto. He missed his company; his very presence. Missed their banters and discussions. Even those sharp eyes looking at him.

Sighing, Joey admitted to himself that he had it bad, and tried to push the thought away. He was so ashamed of himself; hanging around and waiting for Seto like a… like a puppy (and he loathed to admit it). He had to find something else to do before he went mad with embarrassment and frustration.

Looking around, Joey scanned the village for a dance-partner. Ironically, now when he wanted one, everyone seemed to be taken. The band had just started a new song, with flutes and drums as the main instruments, with a hint of guitar and maracas, and the rhythm was stirring, to say the least. Joey himself couldn't help but bob his head and sway his hips in time with it, as the talented singer- a boy Joey's own age- started to sing.

"_One day I looked up, and there you were,  
like a simple question, looking for an answer.  
Now I am a whale, listening to some inner call,  
swimming blindly to throw myself upon your shore_

_What if I don't find you when I have landed?  
__Would you leave me here to die on your shore stranded?_

_I think I know why the dog howls at the moon.  
I think I know why the dog howls at the moon…"_

"Sorry I'm late," a dark, very familiar voice said from behind him suddenly, and the sound of it made Joey's chest ease up with relief and warmth. He allowed a lovesick little smile to grace his lips for a moment, before slipping on a mask of indifference.

"About time you showed up!" He scolded good-naturedly as he turned around to face Seto with a cheeky grin. "I was almost starting to think that you… wouldn't…"

Joey's voice died away and his eyes widened at the sight before him. It wasn't Seto… except it was… and yet not… it _couldn't _be!

There was a man standing in front of him. A tall, slender, elegant _man_ with short, chestnut coloured hair which hung down over his forehead. Broad shoulders, defined torso, narrow waist and long legs, all hidden beneath a white silk-shirt and a pair of dark blue pants. His face… oh god, his face; it was thin yet masculine, with an aristocratic nose and high cheekbones. Pink lips were curved into a smirk (_a very, very familiar smirk_) and those ocean eyes were fixed on Joey's own like lasers. The light from the torches gave his hair and eyes a strange, almost magical glow, and the blond suddenly felt how his knees started to shake.

"_Seto_?!"

It was impossible, and yet it could be no one else. The eyes, the expression, and the voice couldn't belong to anyone else.

"Hello, Joey."

It was Seto…

Seto was a human…

Later on, Joey would smack himself for it, but that instant, that second when he first caught sight of Seto's human form, he froze up completely. He stood rigid and just _stared,_ unable to take his eyes of the man while shock, disbelief, embarrassment and joy danced around in his body.

_What? How? When? Why? Where? _

So many questions, and yet Joey's tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. He watched as Seto's smirk faltered a little at his empty expression; watched the man (MAN!) shift his weight from one foot to the other, and still he couldn't bring himself to do _anything_.

But honestly; who could blame him? It's not everyday that the dragon you have a crush on turns into a human right in front of your eyes (_and a very attractive human, at that_). He had so many questions he didn't know where to start, and so many new scenarios and fantasies were popping up in his head at the mere sight of this handsome man. Joey debated pinching himself. Maybe he had fallen asleep at one of the tables after too much wine, and this was all a dream?

Before he could really consider that suggestion properly, Seto decided that the silence had been going on for way too long.

"Hey, human?" He asked with his usual gruff tone and poked Joey's forehead harshly. "I didn't fry the little brain you have left, did I?"

Joey snapped out of it then, batting the hand away and rubbing his forehead. Well, at least now he knew he wasn't dreaming: that had hurt!

"Shut up!" He snapped out of habit, and Seto's smirk returned again.

"Oh good, you're still alive," he teased, taking a step closer. "I was really starting to fear that I had overheated your brain or something. The look on your face made you look like a dead fish."

Joey glared up at him (_because the guy was still taller than him by almost a head… bastard…_) completely ignoring the little part of his mind which was swooning at that gorgeous face.

"Well, I know a whole bunch of dead things I could compare you with, but then I'd walk around feeling nauseous for the rest of the night," he snapped, making Seto smirk even wider. He made a rough gesture at Seto's body… Seto's _HUMAN_ body! "What the hell have you gone and done to yourself?!"

That came out sounding a lot rougher that he had intended, but come on: he was freaked out!

Seto's smirk faltered a little again, and Joey could detect a flicker of displeasure in his eyes, but he quickly forgot that when the man took another step closer and leaned over a little, bringing their faces within an inch of each other.

"I thought that would be obvious," the brunette breathed, making hot air ghost over Joey's face. Every single function in the blonde's body came to a screeching halt, before starting to jump around like crazy inside his body. "I am- for the night- human." He pulled back a little, not breaking eye contact. "Is that a problem?"

_You're __**damn right**__ it's a problem! Who the hell do you think you are, suddenly just showing up in the body of a fucking demi-god, acting as if everything's perfectly normal?! Are you insane?! Do you have any idea what this is doing to me?! It __**IS**__ a fucking problem because you're making me wanna writhe at you feet and jump you like a fucking animal, and not only because of your body, cause you've still got this kick-ass personality which is unbearable and awesome at the same time and if you knew what I'm thinking right now my pride and honour would be completely pulverized, and why do you have to be so FUCKING GORGEOUS!?_

"N-no…" _Great! Now I'm stuttering too! You are such an ASSHOLE!_

"Good," Seto stated smugly, and before Joey knew it, he'd grabbed one of the blonde's hands in his own (_soft… warm… smooth… human…_) and dragged him out in front of the fire, where all the other couples had stopped dancing to stare at them. Joey didn't even notice them.

"Let's dance."

_Well… if you insist…_

"O…okay." _Asshole. Gorgeous. _

"I have to admit," Seto murmured as he pulled the blond prince to him by one hand and placed his other at Joey's waist, starting to sway to the beat. "You're taller than I thought."

"That's because you're usually four times my size," Joey answered distractedly and automatically moved his body to match Seto's, thanking the gods that they weren't dancing waltz or anything like it. He might have taken dancing-lessons since he was a kid, but with Seto pressed against him like this… he could barely concentrate on _talking_! "I can't believe you're human. _How_?"

"It's nothing a potion can't fix," Seto said and spun them around once, then falling back in step easily, his hand resting very low on Joey's back. The blond gripped his upper arms a little tighter. "I asked Mai to brew it for me before we left for Tangea. It allows me to take on any shape I want for twenty-four hours, and then I will turn back to my old dragon self. But it's extremely rare and hard to brew, not to mention that the ingredients are hard to find. Fortunately Mai had just enough of every ingredient left to make me some, but this occasion probably won't ever come again."

"Oh, I see," Joey said snappily as he let himself be spun under Seto's arm then brought back to the man's (_MAN'S_) chest. "You've been planning this for a long time, haven't you? Sneaky bastard."

"That's my middle name." And the hand slithered down and gave his ass a firm squeeze before moving back up and settling on his back again. Joey went red as a tomato and tried to glare at the brunette, but he couldn't ignore the electricity which had travelled up his spine at the touch. Seto's smug smirk didn't make anything better. With a huff he spun around so that his back was to Seto's chest, allowing the brunette to place his hands on his hips and guide him in the dance.

As they pressed and moved against each other rhythmically, Joey was struck by a thought.

"You know, for someone who's never been in a human body before, you sure know how to move," he remarked and raised one of his hands above and behind himself, sliding fingers through soft brown hair. It was every inch as smooth and warm as the scales had been, and he heard Seto exhale softly; shakily, before he answered:

"It's pretty easy, really. You just have to keep up with the rhythm. Besides, I've been watching humans dance at feasts like this for years. You learn quite a lot just from studying." The hands at Joey's hips spun him around so that they were facing each other again, and Joey's arms automatically wove themselves around Seto's strong neck. They stared into each others eyes.

"Oh," was the only thing Joey could come up with to say. Truth to be told, he felt a little stupid. He'd had so many questions about all of this, and now… now he couldn't remember a single one of them!

They danced in silence for a little while, and finally Joey noticed the attention they were receiving form everyone around them. Some people had started to dance again, but most were standing in small groups, whispering and staring at them with sparkling eyes. A large group had gathered around Yugi and Ryou to ask questions, but it was Yami and Bakura -who were now standing beside the two boys- who were answering. Looked like they had known about this for a while.

Isis and Mai had shown up too. They both carried looks of concern, although with a small hint of excitement, and they were standing beside the band, which hadn't missed a single beat as this strange new couple entered the dance floor. They just kept playing and singing that beautiful song, and Joey listened to the lyrics for a moment.

"_A blind bird sings inside the cage that is my heart  
The image of your face comes to me when I'm alone in the dark  
If I could give a shape to this ache that I have for you  
If I could find the voice that says the words that capture you." _

"There's just one more thing…" Joey said and looked up at Seto, who was still holding him tightly.

"Hn?" Seto said and met his gaze, still swaying them lightly in time to the beat, his eyes dark and beautifully blue.

"Just… _why_?" Joey asked with a frown. "Why did you do this? Turn yourself into a human. I thought you… hated humans…"

Seto raised an eyebrow at him, then gave him a small, heavy-lidded smirk (dear gods, he was _gorgeous_!).

"'_Why_', Joey?" He repeated softly. "I thought it was obvious…" and the next thing Joey knew, soft, pale hands were at his cheeks, framing his face and tilting it back a fraction- not uncomfortably, but perfect for Seto to bend down and ki…

"So I could do _this_."

And then Seto pressed his hot lips to Joey's in the most amazing kiss.

The reaction was immediate: fireworks went off inside Joey's head and a warm feeling exploded throughout his whole being. It burned inside him, clogged up his throat; made it impossible to breathe. It made his heart beat loudly in his ears, his fingers itch and his knees shake like crazy.

Before he knew it, Joey's eyes had slid shut and he was wrapping his arms around Seto's neck; pressing himself closer. He felt like a thick, hot… _mass_ was growing inside; like he was going to burst, and it was ecstasy and torture all over.

Something hot and wet was probing at his lips, and Joey opened his mouth without thinking, allowing Seto's tongue inside. It was as if the brunette was a blind man, using his tongue instead of his eyes to _feel_ and create a picture. His tongue was _everywhere_, sliding over Joey's teeth and the roof of his mouth and the insides of his cheeks, caressing Joey's own tongue the way you caress silk. The blond trembled and whimpered at this sweet assault, and there was no world outside of Seto and himself.

He wasn't aware of the wide-eyed stares some of the older members of the village were giving them, nor the cat-calls and wolf-whistles from the younger ones. He didn't realize Mokuba, Ryou and Yugi were beaming at him happily, or that Bakura and Yami were regarding them with satisfaction and a hint of envy. He didn't see Isis and Mai exchange a look before shrugging and smiling faintly… or even heard the song the band kept playing happily in the background.

"_I've been waiting for you all my life; hoping for a miracle  
I've been waiting day and night, day and night!  
I've been waiting for you all my life; waiting for redemption  
I've been waiting day and night, I burn for you."_

Seto broke away far too soon, and Joey whimpered and followed those wonderful lips. It took several smaller kisses before the two were ready to break apart completely, and then they could only stare at each other for a moment, completely enticed. _Now_ Joey realized he needed air, and thought it was a good thing that Seto was in control here. Had it been up to Joey, they would have passed out from lack of air.

"W-where did you learn how to kiss like that?" Joey managed to get out and immediately cleared his throat, as his voice had been at least three octaves too high.

He just had to know. No one he'd ever met- _no one, _not even Siegfried!- had been that good a kisser. And Seto had never kissed _anyone_ before! Unless there was something he wasn't telling Joey…

But to Joey's great surprise, Seto actually looked away in embarrassment at the question. And was that a faint blush on his cheeks?!

"Mai…" Seto said after a moment's hesitation, and Joey froze up completely. The brunette's almost _pained_ expression told him that no, Seto wasn't joking. A heavy silence fell between them, and Joey was unpleasantly reminded of that time… with the dead cow….

"O…ookaaay," he said at last, and Seto kept boring holes in the ground with his eyes. "Let's never… _ever _talk about that again…"

"Agreed," Seto agreed quickly.

Another silence.

_Please, not this again!_

"Can we…" Joey blushed faintly, cleared his throat and took a step forward. "Can we do it… again?"

Seto's head snapped up and blue eyes met brown. Joey gave him one of his genuine smiles, shy and anticipating, with pink still dusting his cheeks. Seto studied him intently for a moment, taking in every single detail of this boy. He'd seen him in his dreams a number of times… but now he realized just how pale a dream was in comparison to the real thing. Funny; he'd always been told it was the other way around.

"Well, if you insist," he murmured and smirked softly.

Joey scoffed and stepped in even closer, wrapping his arms around Seto's neck again as he stood up on his tip-toes to reach. Seto helped by wrapping his own arms around a slim waist and pulling Joey against him, immediately plunging into another searing kiss.

Maybe Joey should have been jealous or angry at Mai for kissing Seto before he did, but all he could do was thank the woman mentally for teaching him. Once again, his body was swimming and his head shaking… or was it the other way around? Ah, who cared? He had Seto's tongue down his throat! That was all that mattered!

This was turning into a full-blown make-out session in the middle of the village for anyone to see, and Joey loved every moment of it! As if Seto's skilled tongue wasn't enough, his hands suddenly found their way beneath Joey's shirt, and somehow the blonde's being took a giant leap from Euphoria to _Heaven_. The soft palms stroking his back sent rippling fire down his nerve-endings and Joey arched into the touch, then back into Seto, not knowing which he wanted to get closer to; body or hands.

Seto practically had to _pry_ him off this time, and even as he did, he let out a barely audible groan of longing. His hand left Joey's bare back and settled on his hips along with its twin, and that was good: Joey could barely stand on his own anymore.

"We should take this somewhere private," Seto husked, eyes fixed on Joey's own dazed ones. "We need to talk…"

"Uhm…" Joey murmured and blinked to clear his head. "T-talk? Yeah… yeah, that's a good idea." _And maybe kiss some more. Kissing is good. Especially with you… please, can we kiss some more? _

Seto studied him for a moment longer before nodding and tuning on his heels, knowing Joey would follow close behind. Suddenly Joey noticed all the people around them. Most were still watching- in interest more than shock now- and a few, his friends among others, gave him encouraging smiles. Joey quickly answered those smiles before bending his head to hide his blush.

"Oi! Human!" Marik called as the two walked passed him and Malik. "It's a good thing all the kiddies have been put to bed, don't you agree?"

Joey's blush intensified even more, and he shot Marik a withering glare, but only got a grin in response. Seto didn't seem to react at all, unless you counted the fact that he picked up his pace a little.

The brunette led him out of the village and over the meadow behind it, and didn't stop until they reached the lake. The village looked like a glowing globe in the distance, accompanied by the barely audible sounds of music and voices. This was the most privacy they could get without going into the forest, and Joey stopped for a moment at the lakeside, just studying the beauty before him.

The clear, dark blue sky covered in small diamond-like stars was reflected in the water, as was the golden moon – about half full. He didn't feel the least bit cold; the summer-night was perfect for staying outside. Joey doubted he'd feel cold even if he took his clothes off.

And that sudden thought made him blush like mad. Pushing it aside, Joey cleared his throat again and turned around to face Seto.

His breath caught as his eyes met the other man's. Seto looked almost _ethereal _in the moonlight: his pale skin was glowing and his hair seemed to have silver strands in it. The eyes stood out too, much sharper than usual –_burning_- and completely fixed on Joey.

The blond swallowed thickly.

"S-so what was it you wanted to… to talk about…?"

Seto didn't answer. Two long strides and he stood in front of Joey. He caught the smaller boy in his arms again and looked down at him; his face completely serious.

"You are beautiful, Joey."

He didn't even have time to gasp as Seto dove down and kissed him again. This was… different somehow. Fiercer; hotter, but no less exciting. Joey buried one hand in brown hair and held on to Seto's back tightly as the dragon-turned-man bent him over backwards lightly, like they do in the oldest romance-novels. Joey had never understood why they did that, but he knew now. It made him truly _feel _the fact that he was completely at Seto's mercy, and at the same time it made him feel completely secure, because he knew that this man would never drop him.

Comprehension of time abandoned Joey, leaving him unable to determine how long Seto kissed him like that. He was only aware of a hot, wet, velvety tongue and the small groans Seto occasionally released into his mouth. He was like a limp noodle, hanging in Seto's arms and clinging weakly. All he could do was whimper softly and caress Seto's tongue back at the best of his ability, because the brunette was like a wall of fire or something, completely unrelenting, completely dominating.

Once he finally _did_ set Joey back on his feet, time seemed to stop for a moment. They stood less than a metre apart, staring, and completely transfixed.

And then, as if they had both been counting the seconds, they reacted at the same moment.

It was similar to the way two wild animals would clash at the first facedown in a battle for dominance. Only this was a lot less violent and a _lot _more passionate.

Their lips were pressed together so tightly it was almost painful, mouths open wide as tongues danced madly. Joey's hands were once again fisting Seto's hair (_he couldn't help it! It was so soft and warm_) and Seto's own hands were _everywhere_; stroking his back, his sides, his ass, his chest, exciting him even more.

Above clothes, underneath clothes… no place was left untouched, and it was wonderful.

Hastily Joey moved his hands from Seto's hair to his shirt, pulling at it impatiently. Anything remotely close to rational thought had left him. He just knew that Seto was here, gorgeous and _human_ for one night, and he wasn't gonna waste that time _talking_.

In short: Joey wanted him. He wanted to feel him on top of him. He wanted to feel him inside him. He just fucking wanted him and that's all that mattered at the moment.

Finally, the damn shirt came undone and Joey yanked it off his shoulders none-too-gently, letting it fall to the ground uselessly. Seto gave a little grunt of satisfaction as Joey's hands started to roam. He was all smooth skin and slender muscles, and Joey thought it was a sin to hide something that beautiful beneath clothes. This man deserved to be _worshipped_!

Yanking his lips from Seto's, Joey immediately latched in to his pulse point, longing to taste… to touch. It was almost… sweet to him, but then again, that might just have been his imagination. Either way, Joey liked it, and started lapping a trail down Seto's throat like a cat licks the cream off a platter, sucking at his collarbone and chest, not even realizing he was making small mewling noises until Seto pointed it out.

"Those sounds…" the brunette panted and started yanking at Joey's own shirt, obviously wanting to even out the odds. "Are one of the hottest things I've ever heard…"

Joey placed a teasing lick to one pink nipple, loving the shiver and rolling of hips it produced, and then stopped his ministrations to look up at him with eyes at half-mast. When Seto gave him a mildly confused look, he smirked coyly and _moaned_, long, loud and extremely enthusiastic.

Seto's eyes went from Deep Ocean to almost pitch black in a second.

Playtime was over; Joey's ass was his.

Brilliant as he was, Seto chose a much more effective way of removing Joey's shirt, simply yanking it up over the boy's head and forcing him to lift his arms. Before he knew it, Joey was half-naked and spread out on the ground like a virgin sacrifice with a wild young man hovering above him

He didn't mind at all.

Seto kissed him deeply again, and his clever hands slithered down to Joey's pants. Seto had never undone a pair of pants in his whole life, but somehow he made swift work of Joey's. Even as the kiss continued, Joey felt the man pull at his trousers and he obediently raised his hips so they could slide off without problem. He shivered as the damp grass came in contact with his overheated skin, and the contrast made heat flow through his body even stronger. At the same time his cock –hard as a rock by now- seemed to give a sigh of relief at being freed. He whimpered as Seto placed his larger frame above his own, covering him like a blanket.

"Work of art," Seto murmured, his lip less than a millimetre from Joey's. The blonde stroked his sides and tilted his head a little, showing that he was more than ready for that kiss the closeness promised.

It never came though, and Joey mewled in protest as Seto went lower, licking at his neck the same way he himself had done only a few moments earlier. He let out a soft gasp as the brunette found a sensitive spot right below his jaw, sending jolts of pleasure down his spine and to his groin.

"So vocal," Seto muttered into his skin and travelled lower. "At least I know what feels good for you."

Joey didn't know what to say to that (_was it a compliment or an insult?_), and decided that it didn't matter anyway when Seto came across one of his nipples on his journey. Joey arched clear off the ground and cried out at the first light contact. One of his hands flew to Seto's head, fisting his hair, while the other desperately grabbed the ground. He panted like a dog in heat as Seto made a brief pause at that spot, licking and sucking it, and humped his hips even though it didn't soothe the burning in his groin at all.

To his disappointment Seto soon moved on. Lower he went, tonguing his bellybutton, his hip, his tight, and then-

"_Oh gods yes Seto please!_"

Seto glanced up at him with a small smirk, knowing this was the object he had subconsciously been looking for. With his eyes trained on Joey's face, he bent down and gave the boy's erection another quick lick, marvelling at the moan and tremble it ripped from him. Joey's reactions were just so… _delicious_!

Wanting more of that, Seto bent down and tested the waters, bringing Joey's whole cock into his mouth and sucking.

It hurt. It felt so good it hurt. That was the only way Joey could explain it. He sat up on his forearms and tried to watch what Seto was doing, but his neck refused to support his head and it fell backwards, leaving his throat beautifully exposed.

Seto loved that sight; the blush on Joey's cheeks, his swollen lips, his dark eyes, seductive and yet submissive position, and most of all; his trembling body, covered in a light sheen of sweat despite the cool summer-night. It was such a beautiful sight Seto knew for sure that it would never fully leave his retinas.

Almost without noticing it, Seto's own hand slid down to rub at the painful bulge in his own pants while he took more of Joey's length into his mouth. The waves of pleasure that the touch caused had him moaning loudly, and that in turn made Joey cry out and writhe at the vibrations around him.

It was a chain. A beautiful, unbreakable chain where every singe action affected the whole line. Seto made it his mission to fully explore this chain, so for the next few minutes he did his best to show Joey heaven. He altered between sucking and licking, even taking the opportunity to blow hot air over Joey's cock a few times. This always caused the younger man to shudder and spout a long line of gibberish, and Seto loved it.

But somehow it wasn't enough. Instinct was telling Seto that there was more to come, and he didn't want to find release within his own hand anyway. Therefore, he regretfully tore himself away from his lover, watching for a moment how Joey handled the separation.

"Don't stop…" he sobbed and looked up at Seto with shining amber eyes. "Please Seto… more… I want you… please…"

He looked perfect like this: horny, submissive and ravished, and Seto grabbed his hand, pulling Joey into a sitting position and crushing their lips together needily. He managed to lure Joey's tongue into his own mouth this time, and once there he captured it between his lips and sucked it the same way he'd done his manhood a moment earlier. The blond melted into him completely.

"Joey," Seto whispered between kisses. "Joey, I want to… want you… but this body… You'll have to show me how…" Of course he knew the basics, but being knew in this whole I'm-human-thing, Seto didn't know exactly what to do.

Luckily, Joey understood –somewhere in his sex-dazed brain- what he was trying to say, and felt anticipation stir inside him. This was really happening… they were gonna have sex, for real. The very thought made pre-cum leak from the tip of his erection, and an animalistic need welled up inside him.

He pulled back a fraction, looking deeply into Seto's eyes.

"No clothes…" he whispered shakily, and Seto nodded. It took the brunette less than a minute to get his pants off, and he gave a relieved sigh as his member was freed. He stroked it a few times –just because it felt good- before settling back in front of Joey and kissing him softly.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked huskily, and Joey chuckled.

"You serious?" He answered and looked down at his own straining erection pointedly. Seto chuckled too, before sitting down on his ass and pulling Joey into his lap so that the blond was straddling him.

"Then show me how to do this," Seto whispered to him and nibbled that sensitive spot he'd found earlier at Joey's jaw.

As Seto pulled Joey into his lap, their erections brushed against each other, and Joey took this opportunity to push them together more firmly; rolling his hips forward and down. Both men moaned softly at the friction, and Joey looked down for a moment, almost drooling at the sight. It was a beautiful contrast; his was shorter, but wider in girth, and was a creamy shade. Seto's, meshed up against his own, was long and slender –much like the rest of him- and just as pale, although the heads of both erections were a deep red now.

As they moved, their cocks were crushed in between their sweaty bodies, and the pleasure was exquisite… but it wasn't _enough_.

They both needed more, and Joey knew what it would take to satisfy them. Or well… much like Seto, he knew the basics. He was a virgin after all, and not experienced in the realm of male-male sex. He didn't know about things like preparation and lubrication. And at the moment he was completely caught up in his lust.

Had Joey been a little less horny, he might have been able to think, but as it was, he let his impatience guide him as he raised himself a little higher, positioned himself over Seto's cock and _impaled _in a single thrust.

Eyes widening considerably, Joey screamed as the burning pain tore through him. At the same moment, Seto moaned and clutched his waist desperately while tight, hot friction engulfed him. It was utter pain for one, and ultimate pleasure for another.

They sat like that for a while, both trembling violently -but for completely different reasons- then a broken sob from Joey ripped Seto from his euphoria. Looking up, his heart froze to ice at the sight of tears streaming down the boy's cheeks.

"Joey," he rasped, reaching up with one hand to wipe the tears away. "What…?"

"I-it hurts," Joey choked out, all the while trying to keep from trembling, as any movement made the pain worse. "Hurts so bad… I… I can't…"

Understanding dawned in Seto's eyes. Cooing softly, he started placing soft kisses all over Joey's throat and chest, allowing one hand to slide down and massage his butt-cheek while the other went to his erection, pumping slowly as a distraction.

"It will get better," he promised quietly, and at the same time kept an iron grip on his own instinct to just start thrusting into that tight heat. It was sheer torture and utter bliss all rolled into one. "Hang on, Joey. It will get better. I promise."

"S-Seto… it… it…"

"I know… just try to relax. It will get better. Just relax…"

After a few painful, endless, insane minutes, Seto could feel the younger boy start to relax. The trembles grew weaker, and his ass relaxed beneath Seto's fingers. At the same time Joey's erection, which had almost disappeared at the pain, was reawakening.

When Joey let out a small mewl, Seto decided that it was worth the risk: he slowly started moving his hips in circular motions, making his cock move only a little inside the boy. Even such a small action had him groaning loudly and biting his lip so that he wouldn't lose control. Joey whimpered and let his head fall back, giving Seto silent permission to ravage his skin.

Seto used that opportunity as a distraction both for himself and Joey, sucking and biting the boy softly, paying extra attention to his sensitive nipples.

Another few minutes had Joey moving his hips on his own accord. Giving a sigh of relief, Seto took this as permission to move. He lifted Joey by using the hand on his ass, not missing a single stroke to his cock, and then released him, allowing Joey to slide back down on his own. Both of them groaned as Seto's manhood was once again swallowed whole, and Joey grabbed the brunette's shoulders and held on desperately. Instinctively, Seto's grip on Joey's own cock hardened, and it made the blond whimper and spasm.

Next time Joey both lifted himself up and brought himself down, his eyes locked with Seto's, allowing the man to see every feeling; every though flickering through his head.

This slow, simple, and yet completely mind-blowing movement soon found a rhythm. And after only a little while this rhythm picked up as Joey relaxed more and more, discovering the pleasure he could get form the friction between Seto's cock and his own inner walls.

Soon the air was filled with starlet gasps and moans; soft mewls of pleasure and occasionally one of pain.

Seto abandoned Joey's erection for a moment to let his hands slide up the blonde's sides, watching Joey closely. He had his head thrown back now, and was staring up at the dark sky in a complete daze with his mouth wide-open as he struggled for breath. His blonde hair was sticking to his sweaty forehead and his chest was heaving, and Seto grew even _harder_ at this beautiful sight. He tested his ground a little by thrusting his hips upward softly, and then-

"_Oh, Seto, right there, please!_"

…he found something.

Fascinated by this violent and pleasurable reaction, Seto tried again, his thrust a little firmer this time…

…and Joey _screamed. _

"_Anything_…" he panted, lost in the throes of passion, and Seto was the one who had taken him there. "I'll do anything, just please, by the gods don't stop!"

Seto didn't have any intention to stop. Not when every thrust to that same place made Joey's passage constrict around him to the point where he thought it would cut his fucking dick clean off! Instead, he sped up, and Joey did the same, their paces matching each other perfectly, because every time Joey sunk down, Seto slammed up, making them meet in the middle in a beautiful clash.

Joey was chanting his name now, screaming it to the stars like it was the most powerful word in the universe. He wasn't even a human anymore, and neither was Seto. They were creatures ruled entirely by their pleasure, and Seto knew he wouldn't be able to stop, no matter what happened. He was a prisoner in this, as was Joey, and it was frightening and exciting and oh so very pleasurable.

Joey almost fell off his lap a few times, but Seto refused to let him go, holding on firmly with one arm around his waist while the other found his erection once again. The blonde's head lulled forward again, and their lips met in a wet, sloppy kiss without stopping their thrusts for even a second. Saliva dribbled down Joey's chin, and Seto licked it up greedily before plunging his tongue into his lover's mouth again.

Because that was what they were.

Lovers.

"Seto…" Joey whispered, and when their eyes met, the older could see that his own thought had been in Joey's head too.

Lovers.

"You're amazing," he told the boy on his lap and meant every syllable, every letter. He got a beautiful smile and a deep kiss in return.

A few more thrusts, a few seconds of painful crescendo; reaching for something Seto had no idea what it was, and then Joey constricted around him –hotter and tighter than ever before- and something just _exploded _inside the brunette.

Releasing a moan which almost sounded like Joey's name, he climaxed violently, clutching the boy to him like a lifeline while hot liquid filled the blond from the inside. He was barely aware that Joey was trembling and sobbing his name too, and holding on to Seto's head for all he was worth while his own orgasm ripped through his body like a tidal-wave, leaving only sore muscles and lungs without air in its wake.

And then it was all gone. And yet not, because there was a beautiful, perfect, trembling boy sitting above him and sobbing his name into his hair, and that wasn't any less wonderful then what they had just done.

Seto leaned back a little and looked up at his lover. His eyes were still dazed; a beautiful dark amber, peering out from under sweaty golden hair, and Seto was proud, because this was his creation -his alone- and no one could take it from him, or even _see_ it except him.

Joey nuzzled his hand as he reached up to stroke his hair out of his eyes, and the dragon-turned-man's chest swelled with uncontrollable feelings.

No words were exchanged as they separated and curled up on their clothes, huddled close together. Joey put his head to Seto's chest and listened to the strong heartbeat, feeling warm and sated even though they didn't have any shelter or blankets.

This was the meaning of life, he decided contently. To belong with another person like this. To feel safe and protected, and know you'll never truly be alone again, because even if that person dies or disappears, they'll always be there like a voice in the back of your head, or a dream which visits you every night.

A sudden thought crossed his mind, and Joey chuckled softly. Seto's arm, which was slung over his shoulders, tightened a little and then the brunette started caressing his arm lovingly.

"What are you laughing about?" He asked softly.

"I just remembered something…" Joey answered and nuzzled his firm chest. "In my family, there's this tradition… for the last two hundred years, every single one of my ancestors have found their soul mate on their eighteenth birthday."

"So?"

"So… we might not have been properly introduced… but I met _you _on my eighteenth birthday."

Seto stayed silent for a moment, contemplating this, and then he just 'hm'ed softly and continued to caress Joey's arm.

"This is probably the most fucked up relationship in the world," he stated dryly after a while, and Joey snorted softly.

"In all worlds." He agreed.

"In the universe."

"Through known history."

"Through time."

"Through all times."

Both of them dissolved in soft chuckling after that, still somewhat dazed from their emotional high. Another short, comfortable silence followed, then Joey yawned and kissed Seto's chest.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he stated contently, closing his eyes.

Seto moved his hand from Joey's arm to his hair, caressing his scalp. The blond purred.

"Neither would I."

Silence. A long one this time. Then Seto broke it.

"Joey, I have a confession to make."

"Hm?" Joey answered, already half-asleep.

"Remember our deal? The one about trust?"

"Uh huh…"

"Well, the thing is… I've trusted you for some time now, but I didn't tell you. …I didn't want you to leave."

"I figured as much."

"You are not upset?"

Joey opened his tired eyes and glanced up at his companion disbelievingly.

"You expect me to have the energy to be angry after what we just did?" He asked, and Seto smirked softly at him. He put his head back on the older man's chest and closed his eyes again. "Besides… I don't think I wanted me to leave either…. Now sleep."

But Seto wasn't as tired as Joey. That little confession had woken him up good again, and now he stared up at the sky thoughtfully for a moment, before speaking up again.

"I think we could be great together, Joey. If you stayed."

"Mhm…"

"I've never felt like this before. You make me feel like…" a pause, to try and find the right words, "like there's still hope. Like I have a future, after all. And I want you in that future, any way I can. This might be a one time thing, but it doesn't change the way I feel about you. We can make this work, I think. Joey?"

A soft snore was his only answer. Seto stared in disbelief at his sleeping mate for a moment, before chuckling and rolling his eyes up at the night-sky.

"The first time I open up in four-hundred years, and you fall asleep on me! Idiot…" he scolded softly, and stroked a blond lock aside so he could see his lover's face properly. He could get used to falling asleep to that sight.

"Sleep tight, my love."

**Disgustingly fluffy and OOC at the end, but hey, none of us knows what Kaiba's like after a good fuck, so get off my back! I couldn't come up with anything better, so sue me! .**

**This was actually… PAINFUL to write! DX I couldn't get anything right! You know that feeling when you just KNOW you could do better, but it just won't work out? Yeah, that's what I feel for this chapter. I think I've lost my talent. **

**Yes, Seto and Joey are now officially in a relationship. Will they make it work? What will happen next? Stay tuned for the next chapter of… DRAGON'S KISS!! DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!! **

…**Sorry, I'm running on toast and chocolate right now. Time's almost five in the morning here, so I really need to sleep now! **

**Sorry for any and every misspelling, but I'm not fully conscious right now; please bear with me! I've probably forgotten a number of things I was supposed to say in this chapter, but GAWDAMMIT! I NEED SLEEP! 3X **

**Oh, and please leave a review! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEEEE! **

**I'm done now…**

**Until next time!**

**R&R!! **


	27. The day after

Chapter twenty-six: The day after

Yami woke to the smell of flowers and the sight of an empty bed. He blinked once to clear his head, then instinctively scanned the bedroom in search for his young protégé. Worry hadn't had the chance to set in yet, and it never did, because Yami soon found him; only a few metres away, sitting by the window and staring out at the village with a far away look in his eyes.

Discreetly, Yami took the opportunity to just look at Yugi. He often did this when the boy wasn't paying attention. It was a kind of guilty pleasure… one of the few he had these days.

He'd been with Yugi for so many years now, and every now and then he had to stop and just take the boy _in_, because he still had a hard time getting it sometimes. Getting how fast he had grown up, how beautiful he had become. He clearly remembered the innocent little child of only three years, smiling at him from the ground as he gazed down at the boy from a tree. That had been the first time they had seen each other, and Yami had immediately been filled with a strange, powerful warmth; the need to protect, to nurture and to hold.

It was as if he had been staring at a rosebud, and just _known_ that it was his to care for, it was his mission to watch it grow and become more beautiful with every day. After the many years of flying around in a daze, watching history be written and his own reality be buried among the ruins of the past, it was a welcome change.

Sitting here today, gazing at this beautiful boy, Yami couldn't be happier that _he _had been the one to receive this mission. It had been a true honour watching that small boy grow into this brave, kind teenager, on the verge of becoming a man, despite his childish looks. Yugi might still be inexperienced when it came to magic, but as a human being, he was perfect according to Yami. A bit too naïve maybe, but hey; with Yami there to protect him, that was hardly a problem.

And yet… that was all he was supposed to do. Protect… guide… nothing more.

A small twinge of pain shot through his chest at the thought, and Yami scolded himself for it. He knew fully well that he would be stuck in this body for a long, _long _time to come- probably forever! There was no way a relationship like that would work, even if Yugi was willing. Besides… the boy had a destiny to fulfil.

Yugi and Ryou were the first mages born in hundreds of years… if that wasn't a sign that Yami's people was getting a second chance, then Yami didn't know what was! Yugi had to find a partner and have children. Children who would, no doubt, inherit his magic and continue his legacy. Yami had thought a lot about this, and couldn't come up with any other answer. He had even been debating on possible mates for his boy (Mai and Isis had crossed his mind, since both of them had magic powers of their own, but he had quickly discarded that thought).

That was why he didn't want to tell Yugi about his true identity. That was how he knew it was foolish to harbour these feelings for the boy; because he'd inevitably lose him to someone else one day. But honestly, who could blame him? With those large, honest, amethyst eyes, that petite frame and shimmering hair (which most people thought looked weird, but Yami just found adorable) he was truly gorgeous. Inside and out.

Why, oh why couldn't he have been born a few hundred years earlier, so that Yami could have shown him his true, impressive, royal side? He'd have given anything to have Yugi by his side back then. Who knew how many choices he could have changed, just by his presence?

Feeling a familiar depression well up inside him, Yami pushed his thoughts away for the moment and tore his eyes away from Yugi, who was still sitting by the window, oblivious to his presence. Watching Yugi like that was a double-edged sword; it was addictive like his favourite candy, but at the same time it filled him with remorse and self-loathing.

Yami just took for granted that that was what love was like.

"How long have you been up?" He asked softly and flew over to sit beside Yugi on the window-pane, gazing up at the sky. The sun had yet to go up, and a few stars were still twinkling up there, but the horizon was turning a lighter shade of blue.

Yugi jumped at the question and turned to look at him, a smile quickly spreading over his face and lighting Yami's mood.

"Not too long, I just woke up half an hour ago or something… I had a lot to think about," the amethyst-eyed boy answered, and his hand automatically reached out to stroke Yami's feather-covered back. The hawk couldn't help the content feeling that spread through him at the touch, despite the fact that he hated this shape more than anything. "Good morning, by the way."

Yami made a small sound of answer, and jumped up to sit in Yugi's lap, making it easier for the boy to pet him. Oh, if his ancestors had seen him now: trapped in the body of a bird, sitting in a boy's lap and being stroked like a pet. It would have been humiliating if it didn't feel so peaceful.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked, not wanting to think about the past right now.

"The feast last night…" Yugi said, and after a moment's hesitation: "Seto and Joey…"

Ah, Yami had had a sneaking suspicion that it was something like that. Of course, he had known about Seto's plan for a long time, but it had still been interesting to watch the result; Joey's reaction… their interaction… that kiss…. Yami was half happy for them, half jealous. He'd been surprised at how fast and well it had gone, he'd been expecting a lot more drama… from Joey, at least. Although he had a pretty good idea what the two of them had done after leaving for the rest of the night. He might be stuck in a bird's body, but he _had_ been a hormonal teenager once.

"They looked good together, don't you think?" Yugi asked, a small smile on his face as he looked up at the sky. "I mean, there's always been chemistry between them, but I'd never expected…" his voice died away, as if he was unsure of how to express himself. In the end he just shrugged and went on: "The looked happy. _Both _of them! I didn't even think Seto was _capable _of looking happy. Smug maybe, or sarcastic or something… but not like that."

He fell silent again, and the two of them didn't say anything for a long time. Yami pondered his words for a while, and at last just answered with a simple:

"You're right; they did look good together."

Yugi's smile widened a little more, and at the same time Yami caught the small flicker of sadness in his eyes. Now he quickly caught on to the _real _problem here.

"You will find someone one day, Yugi," he assured and leaned his small head against his chest, feeling a strong heartbeat. "Someone who will make you feel just like Joey makes Seto feel." _Even if they'll never be able to love you even half as much as I do. As I always will. _

"Aw, Yami," Yugi answered, and the flicker was gone from his eyes. Yami knew it was still in there, but Yugi tried to hide it better now- he knew Yami had caught on to it. "You're the only one for me, you know that!"

_If you only knew how amazing and horrible those words make me feel_.

"Of course, Yugi," Yami chuckled warmly, squeezing the boy's tight with one of his claws. He masterfully hid his own pain from him- it was easy, since he had been doing it for years.

They stayed silent after that and just watched the sunrise together.

* * *

The first thing Joey registered when he woke up was the feel of cool, damp grass beneath him, giving him goose-bumps. Close behind was the sound of someone breathing deeply, accompanied by the feeling of hot air ghosting over his chest. He shivered a little at the contrast between the feelings, and cracked one eye open.

A pair of sharp blue eyes met his own, visible from beneath tousled chestnut hair. That handsome face smirked at him with the pale morning sky in the background, telling Joey that it was still very, very early.

"I didn't actually think that _that_ would be enough to wake you up," the godly appearance murmured in a sexy, husky voice. "What a delightful surprise."

"Huhrgh?" Joey answered eloquently. It was too early for big words!

Seto smirked at him (_so sexy…_) and didn't give him an answer. Instead he leaned down and exhaled another hot breath over Joey's chest, making the younger man shudder. His nipples seemed to perk up at the action, and a small thrill of electricity shot through Joey's body. He couldn't help but blush in embarrassment; his body had never been this sensitive!

"Human skin," Seto husked, going lower and breathing over Joey's stomach this time, "is said to be very sensitive. It's always fascinated me… I've always wanted to see if it was true…" another ghost of air… was it only Joey, or was Seto's breath a lot hotter than a normal human's? Must be a dragon-thing or something…

"Now I can see…" he lifted a single finger and dragged it down Joey's chest, giving each nipple a small flick, "that it is." The finger dipped into Joey's bellybutton, and he squirmed. It tickled!

"Too early for this…" he sighed softly, mostly protesting for the sake of protesting.

Seto crept back up so that they were face to face, taking in his sleepy, dazed, golden eyes for a moment, before he leaned down and gave Joey a slow, lazy, absolutely erotic kiss. All the blond could do was close his eyes and go with it, feeling his body relax and melt just as it had done the night before. Heavy arms lifted and wrapped around a strong neck, and he couldn't help but rake one hand through brown locks.

The finger had stopped playing with his naval and the whole hand was now resting on Joey's stomach. While the two men let their tongues stroke and caress and explore, that hand slid down diagonally, over one hip and to Joey's ass, squeezing softly.

The blond jumped and broke the kiss, hissing as sharp pain shot up his spine. Whether it was from the touch or his own movement he didn't know, but it stung like a bitch!

"What's wrong?" Seto asked, his eyes already slightly darker with lust, but Joey pushed him away and sat up, hissing even louder as the pain intensified.

"Sore," he bit out, shifting onto his side to spare his hurting ass and lower back. "Last night was great and all, but I don't think one is supposed to do it like that; that fast… what the hell was I thinking?"

Understanding dawned in Seto's eyes, and next thing Joey knew, he had rolled over, grabbed his discarded shirt and stuck his hand down a small pocket. Seconds later he pulled out a small, dark-green flask.

"Drink this," he ordered after he had rolled back over and handed it to Joey. The blond studied it for a moment before turning suspicious eyes to Seto.

"Last time you told me to drink something, I had been stabbed by an evil unicorn and was lying poisoned and dying at your feet," he muttered. "And the thing you gave me tasted like anus."

"Trust you to know what anus tastes like," Seto answered and rolled his eyes. "This is a potion from Mai. She told me to give it to you 'the day after'. It won't kill you… hopefully."

Joey glared at him for the first comment, then snatched the flask with a pout, opened it and downed its contents. It was actually kinda sweet, and strangely warm; it felt good as it slipped down his dry throat- even freshened up his mouth a little.

He started feeling better the moment he put the small bottle away, and once again he glared up at Seto. Not quite so viciously, though.

"Morning after-potions?" He asked. "So you _did _have this all figured out! You were planning to seduce me, you perverted dragon!"

Seto looked up at the sky, as if asking some higher power for strength and patience, before he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"First off: the only thing I had _planned _yesterday was to become human and surprise you. Yes, I was hoping for at least a kiss, but none of the things that happened after that was really planned. I just 'went with the flow' as you humans say. Second: _Mai _was the one to make that potion. I didn't know what it was for, she just told me to give it to you 'the day after', if you weren't feeling well. I understand what she meant now." His gaze swept over Joey's still naked form, and the blond blushed.

"Third:" here, a smirk spread over his face, making him look handsome and fearsome at the same time, "you weren't exactly complaining when I was _inside _you."

Joey's face _caught fire_, and he looked away, tilting his head so his bangs hid most of his face. He glared at the surface of the lake.

"You try complaining with something like _that _shoved up your ass," he muttered, making Seto smirk and laugh evilly. "Asshole."

"Maybe we should wash up a little," Seto suggested once his chuckles had (_finally_) died away.

His words made Joey remember exactly how messy last night had been, and for the first time that day, he became aware of the dried semen on his stomach and between his butt-cheeks. He blushed again, both from embarrassment and light disgust.

"Yeah… let's…" he mumbled and made a move to get up.

Only to fall right back to the ground as another flash of pain raced up his spine. Once again he hissed.

"Never doing that again, he muttered angrily as Seto (who was standing up now) raised an eyebrow at him. "Never having sex ever again."

"Having trouble, Joey?"

"Go to hell, bastard! This is all your fault!"

"I really shouldn't have let you take the reins, should I? You're so hopeless."

"Shut up and help me up!"

Joey was getting extremely embarrassed (not to mention pissed off!) now, but that was quickly replaced by shock when Seto sighed, bent over and effortlessly picked him up bridal-style. He yelped and wrapped his arms around the older man's neck, grabbling violently.

"What are you doing?! I'm not some girl! Put me down! _Put me down!_"

"Stop it," Seto grunted when his wild squirming almost made him drop him. "You can't even walk on your own, and it's only a few metres down to the lake. Don't worry; I will never, ever mistake _you_ for a girl."

Blushing and not knowing why, Joey stopped moving, and settled for glaring lightly at Seto instead. He didn't know what to feel all about this: embarrassment, delight, irritation, confusion and contentment were waltzing through his whole body, fighting for dominance, and he didn't know if he should be relieved or disappointed once Seto reached the lake and carefully lowered him into the water.

It was cool, but hardly cold, in the summer-morning, but Joey still shivered lightly and instinctively pressed closer to Seto's warm body. However, it only took them a few moments to grow accustomed to the temperature, and soon they were floating around freely. Seto stayed where his feet still reached the ground, not really knowing how to swim, and Joey floated around him, dipped his hair into the water and scrubbed the dried cum off of his body with his bare hands.

It was… nice, just swimming around like this together. They didn't really talk, but every now and then, hands or legs or shoulders would brush, and they would exchange small glances, even a few smiles. It made Joey feel warm and happy; somehow, it _confirmed _that what had happened the night before was real. What they had felt -still felt- was real.

Joey's sore body soon relaxed in the natural massage the water provided. Tensions eased, and the pain in his back started to disappear the more he swam and used his muscles like this, without really straining them. The calmness around them helped a lot too; the village was like a slumbering silhouette on the other side of the meadow: not a single person seemed to be up.

After about half an hour in the water, the two of them moved half onto the bank, laying with their bodies still half in the water while they watched the sun start to rise. Joey stroked the soft sand on the lake-floor, and spoke for the first time since they stepped into the water.

"How much longer will the potion work?" He asked. "How much longer until you turn back?"

A brief pause while Seto thought about the answer.

"It's supposed to last for twenty-four hours, and I took it at around four in the afternoon yesterday…" he thought out loud, "So I have got almost a whole day left."

Joey couldn't help but feel content with that. He'd have plenty of time to kiss and touch Seto some more. And once he _did_ turn back… well, they'd take that then.

"Will you be disappointed once I become my old self again?" Seto asked as if he had been reading his thoughts, and his voice was almost… _wary_.

Now it was Joey's turn to pause and think about his answer. _Would_ he be disappointed? He imagined the last few hours with Seto, and then imagined the many weeks with him as a dragon. The answer came easily after that.

"No," he said confidently, folding his arms as a pillow beneath his head. "It's great to have you with me as a human, for _obvious_ reasons… but that's not what this is about. I don't… like you because you're human and good-looking or anything. I like you because you're an asshole and a nice guy at the same time, and because you're someone I can trust, and just _because_… it's not about the sex or anything… sex is nice… but it's not everything…"

A long silence passed after that. Seto didn't say anything, Joey didn't say anything, but just as the blond was starting to worry that he had said something wrong… Seto leaned over, braced himself with one arm on either side of Joey's head, and kissed him deeply.

For a moment Joey lay completely still, revelling in the warm feeling such a heartfelt kiss gave him. It was as if Seto was pouring his very being into that single lip-lock, making Joey want to do the same in return. His hands automatically slid up to stroke the brunette's neck and back, loving the warm, smooth skin. A small wave of water washed up and caressed Joey's sides as Seto placed himself more firmly above the boy, pushing him down into the soaked sand.

Slowly they pulled back from one another, staring straight into each other's eyes for a while. Then Joey coyly let his hands slide down Seto's back to squeeze his ass, and the brunette stiffened and exhaled.

"Mmm," Joey murmured and rained feather light kisses all over Seto's throat, making him shiver. Something stiff was pressing into the blonde's naked tight now, and he rolled his hips up to brush against Seto's stomach. The arms keeping the man up trembled from the strain.

"Joey…"

"Mmm…"

"Are you sure you want to-"

"Hey," Joey interrupted him breathlessly, "gotta make the most of this. I'll never have you like this again."

Their eyes met, and perfect understanding passed between them. They both wanted it, and knew all too well how precious this moment was. Joey was right: a chance like this would never come again.

It was only the second time they did this, but it was different from the first one. It was slower, less desperate, and they were determined to do it _right_ this time.

Seto prepared him slowly, carefully, knowing just how fragile Joey's body was right now. Lubricated by pre-cum, water and spit, it was still a little rough, but Joey was no glass-doll and Seto was no idiot. He pressed slowly with one, then two, then three fingers, curling and wiggling and _finding_, despite inexperience. Joey mewled softly and squirmed to make sure he hit right again, and a lazy smirk spread over Seto's lips.

"Yeah?" he asked huskily, kissing one cheek.

"Gods, yeah," Joey groaned, rolling his hips against the intrusion, his thoughts fuzzy and his body scorching hot, despite the cool water. This shouldn't have felt as good as it did, but Mai's potion truly did miracles for his sore body. Not to mention how Seto's slow, steady pumps sent waves of sensation through him, leaving Joey as a writhing mess in the sand.

The brunette practically _purred_ at his sounds and movements and reactions, and licked a wet trail up his throat to suck greedily on his jaw. After a moment, Joey nudged him with his chin in a silent order, and Seto obeyed, rising up to kiss his lips instead.

"Deeper… more…" Joey whispered against silken lips, his voice a trembling request which Seto was unable and unwilling to resist.

The brunette pulled back for a moment to adjust their position, lifting Joey's legs and placing them on his shoulders while he pressed himself close again. The blond gripped his shoulders firmly in return, feeling both vulnerable and protected like this; folded in half and covered by warmth.

Seto kissed his calf softly, and Joey groaned as they seemed to become one once more.

It was beautiful this way, so slow, so perfect and so fulfilling. So deep and bare and rhythmic; they were both determined to treasure this, make it everything it could be, for it would never come again. But somehow that was okay, because this would be enough to get him through a lifetime, Joey was sure of it. No matter what Seto was, no matter what _he_ was, this would always be enough to keep him happy.

Neither wanted to stop, but as all good things do, this too, came to an end. Seto's thrusts sped up and he straightened, standing on his knees with Joey's legs pressed to his chest. His hands were placed on the blonde's ass-cheeks, lifting him and giving him better access to his prostrate.

A little disappointed, but mostly thankful for the new space between them, Joey grabbed his own erection with one hand, resting his whole weight on the other, pumping in time with his lover's movements.

He moaned passionately and twisted in pleasure, eyes wide and burning vibrantly. He stared up into Seto's smoky blue gaze as long as he possibly could, trying to convey all the things he knew he couldn't ever say, until instinct took over and Joey's head tipped back and his jaw clenched and his eyes screwed shut of their own accord, and with a hoarse, strained cry, release washed over him, slow and hot and heady. He went limp, and Seto slowly, carefully withdrew, but only after the last tiny drop of semen had left his own and Joey's erections, and the shivers had died.

All was silent for a long moment, while Seto lay limply on top of Joey; foreheads resting against each other and both panting. Hands caressed softly, loving the feel of heated skin mixed with cool water. Seto broke the silence once they had regained their breaths.

"Maybe we should have that talk now…"

Joey chuckled tiredly in response.

* * *

"So what do you want to do now?" Seto whispered into Joey's ear, and couldn't help but inhale the smell of his hair.

"What do you mean?" Joey asked back softly.

Seto was sitting with his back to a tree, Joey sitting between his legs with his back to Seto's chest, and the brunette's arms wrapped around his shoulders. They were half-dressed in pants and shoes, and were watching as the village slowly started to come to life. From the long distance they could only make out a few people scurrying around among the houses, but that was enough. Their focus wasn't on the village right now, anyway.

"About this. Us. What are we going to do now?" Seto clarified; his chin propped on Joey's shoulder, looking at and yet not seeing the village.

"I meant what I said before…" Joey told him, feeling warm and sated and tried and loved. "It doesn't make a difference to me what kind of creature you are. I still… I still feel the same way about you."

"Likewise," Seto kissed his shoulder. "But what do we do now?"

Joey didn't want to think about that. He just wanted to be with Seto, in any way he could. No worries, no thoughts, just peace and quiet, and this wonderful warmth. That was all he wanted.

"Let's just…" he began, tilting his head back and rubbing his cheek against Seto's, "let's just take things as they come from now on. Let's live in the now… not think about the future."

Seto didn't say anything for a moment, and Joey knew what he was thinking. Things like that could be dangerous. They could keep living in the now and then one day suddenly realize that years had gone by. But… he didn't want to care.

"Okay," Seto said at last, squeezing him a little tighter. "Let's live now."

Joey smiled and closed his eyes.

* * *

They spent a few hours by the lake just relaxing, talking, touching and sleeping, and when hunger started showing its ugly face, they got dressed and returned to the village, which was buzzing with life by now. Everyone was up and running, and confusion arose as Seto made his entrance. A lot of explaining ensued, and the smallest children couldn't believe that this man was the same giant dragon they had always enjoyed climbing all over: they didn't leave him alone for a single moment.

The teenage-girls in the village (and a few of the boys) shot Seto and Joey envious looks all day, thinking it unfair that two gorgeous men like them would choose _each other_.

Other than that; if there was anyone who didn't like the romance between the two, they sure as hell didn't show it. On the contrary; Joey received multiple pats on the back, and a few of the older villagers even dared congratulating Seto, telling him what a beautiful pair they made. Yami, Yugi and Ryou wore warm, encouraging smiles, Bakura only scoffed _a little_, Marik leered while Malik scolded him, and Mokuba was jumping up and down like the bounce-ball he was, singing '_Seto and Joey, sitting in a tree…_'.

Joey was ecstatic.

Mai and Isis seemed to stay a little to the side- at least to begin with. At one point during the day, Mai pulled him from Seto's side, away from the crowd.

"So his plan worked?" She asked softly, as soon as they were alone.

"Yeah, it worked," Joey answered, and couldn't bring himself to banish the smile from his face.

Mai studied him intently for a moment, taking in his glowing face, straight back and relaxed shoulders. After a moment she gave him a crooked smile.

"He didn't hurt you, then?" She said.

"What do you think?" Joey answered teasingly, still smiling.

Mai's crooked smile turned into a real one.

"You want this." It wasn't a question.

"More than anything."

"…I'm glad."

And that was that. Mai had given him her blessing, and not soon after Isis came around too. A few of the men in the village brought out the wine and food still left after the feast yesterday, and they all toasted and had a much smaller, but no less merry party. And all the time, Joey stayed close to Seto, smiling. He even managed to get the dragon-turned-man to dance with him a few times.

But all too soon, afternoon came around. No one knew _exactly_ when Seto's transformation would start, but everyone had a pretty good idea. Around three o'clock, the kids started to swarm around, whisper and giggle as if it was Christmas and they were waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. A strange sense of anticipation fell over the village. Not too long after that, Seto suddenly stiffened and gripped Joey's hand, shooting him a glance which to blonde understood immediately.

The two of them walked out of the village and to the meadow between it and the lake. They didn't know exactly what was going to happen, and had decided to get away from the houses just in case. Almost everyone followed them, standing in a large half-circle around the two, watching with curious faces. Seto ignored them as he pulled Joey to him.

"We will take things as they come," he promised, stroking Joey's back. "Nothing will change the way we feel."

"Gee, dragon," Joey said with a cheeky smile. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried!"

Seto didn't look impressed.

"Just making sure you remember our agreement, considering your horrible memory," he answered with a small smirk.

"Ass," Joey said almost tenderly, and then stood up straighter to give him a peck on the lips.

Seto grabbed his waist and turned the innocent kiss into a deep, sensual one, using his tongue to caress Joey's mouth without even waiting for permission to enter. Not they Joey would have denied him; he was too busy clutching the front of his shirt and controlling his own shaking legs.

Dear _gods_, this man could kiss!

"Don't turn me on now!" Joey whined after tearing himself away from those tempting lips. "There's no time for a third round!"

"Just making sure you won't forget _this_ either," Seto said, smirk still in place. "Considering your horrible memory."

This time, Joey just rolled his eyes in exasperation. They shared another kiss when a strange tingle of electricity suddenly shot through Seto's lips into Joey's, making him jerk back in surprise.

"I think this is it," Seto muttered, and squeezed Joey's hand. The blond took the opportunity to truly memorize the feeling of Seto's smooth skin, knowing that this was the last time he'd ever feel it. Their eyes stayed locked as Seto took a few steps backwards, but Joey had to look away when the man was enveloped in a bright, burning light.

It was as is Seto had been engulfed by a small sun, there in the middle of the meadow. For a few moments the giant, glowing, burning ball was all anyone could see, and then suddenly, with a crack, it shattered.

Scaly wings spread wide, flapping a few times. A long dragon neck and slender body stretched testingly, a white tale moved from one side to the other in a slow wag, and sharp blue eyes –last reminder of human Seto- opened to look at Joey.

The blond stared at this beautiful white dragon for a moment, waiting for disappointment, longing or sadness to well up inside him at the loss of his handsome, human lover. But none of those feelings ever came. Instead, he felt a little relieved… and content, to see those wings spread and those eyes blink at him.

It was like finding a lost friend you hadn't even known you'd been missing.

Seto was watching him intently, anxious to see his reaction. Joey gave him a wide grin.

"Good to have your fat dragon ass back," he stated loudly.

Seto looked insulted.

"As if my ass could ever compare to your head," he snapped playfully, and just like that, everything was back to normal. Mokuba bounced over to hug his brother as if he had been away, the children ran over to inspect him and probably start climbing him, and almost everyone else returned to the village, since the show was obviously over.

And in the middle of all this, Joey managed to make his way over to Seto's side.

In the middle of a sea of kids and friends and hyperactive younger dragon-brothers, he caressed Seto's scaly front-leg and gave him a happy, lovely smile. It was reciprocated immediately.

Nothing had changed. They still felt the same. They lived in the now.

* * *

Rebecca looked up at the huge trees in front of her, feeling magic and darkness leak out of every single trunk. She could understand how this forest had gotten its reputation, and she didn't doubt for a second that those stories about people walking into it and never coming out were true. The feeling was so strong even a normal human could feel it. Behind her the men squirmed in discomfort, a few even gripping the handles of their swords tensely.

"Finally we're here," Téa huffed from beside her, and Rebecca could feel the girl sending her a glare. "Not a moment too late. I can't believe how far behind schedule we are!"

"Shut up, Téa," Keith said from beside her and rolled his eyes. "We've all had enough of your whining."

"Asshole," Téa answered and turned her glare at him.

Rebecca ignored the two of them, her big blue eyes fixed on the forest. Anticipation was stirring inside her, and her magic made her fingertips itch. Soon, she would be able to use it on the dragon, testing if she still had it in her to slay one of them. Soon, she would be able to fulfil he late queen's last wish. Soon, the monster would be dead.

They were so close.

**Once I'd gotten my thumb out of my ass and actually started WRITING this chapter… it actually went pretty fast! Had a little trouble with the lemon, tried to make it a different style than the first one… please tell me what you think about it! Constructive criticism, people! **

**Wow… y'know, I was looking through my earliest reviews for this story, and I was gripped by a sudden nostalgia. I can't BELIEVE it's a little more than a year since I started this thing! (And thank you, all those who pointed it out in the last chapter! I never would have noticed it otherwise!) **

**And another thing… I truly cannot believe that I've gotten OVER NINE HUNDRED REVIEWS FOR THIS STORY! THAT'S INCREDIBLE! IT'S AWESOME! IT'S FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC, AND I OWE IT ALL TO YOU! THANK YOU! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU!!**

**-Pants- **

**Okay… that's it! Sorry it took so long to update! I have no excuse! But I hope you liked it, even if it's only a short filler. I got some requests for more Yamis/Hikaris stuff. Hope this is somewhat satisfying. **

**Until next time!**

**R&R!! **


	28. Reality catches up

Chapter twenty-seven: Reality catches up

"This is starting to get ridiculous," Serenity stated as she sat down on Duke's bed, eyeing him in irritation.

The raven-haired young man closed the door to his room silently and turned to look at her, taking in her tried and yet beautiful appearance. He didn't know why she's suddenly decided to visit him in his room, but here she was now, and obviously had something she wanted to talk about.

Quite frankly, he didn't know what to feel when he looked at her. Part of him (a spoilt, childish part) wanted to hate her; this was the girl who had "stolen" Tristan! But at the same time he just couldn't to that! She had been his childhood sweetheart, and after that, she had been the sister he never had! He couldn't hate her, but he didn't entirely want to like her either. So he settled for an impassive expression, folded his arms and leaned against the wall next to the door.

"Excuse me, _your highness?_" His tone of voice could have been degrading or teasing. Duke wasn't entirely sure himself.

"I've been juggling my own duties, my brother's duties, my fragile feelings and the caretaking of this castle for almost four months now," she began, and her voice held a no-nonsense tone which Duke had never heard from her before. She sounded like her mother. "I don't have _time _to worry about two boys who are too thick-headed for their own good! I don't have _time _to play diplomatist just because one of them is overly sensitive and the other is dense!"

Duke merely raised an eyebrow, but he had a hard time hiding his true shock at her words. _This _certainly didn't sound like Serenity. She sounded ready to slam his head into a wall.

"I don't know what's going on between you and Tristan or what's happened in the last few weeks," she continued. "But this is a _really _hard time in my life. I don't know if I should be mourning or keep looking. I don't know anything anymore! And I've always seen the two of you as not only Joey's, but _my_ closest friends too! And right now I need you! Both of you! Because I just can't do this on my own anymore! I can't take care of everything while Tristan walks around in a daze and you lock yourself up in your room to pout."

"I don't pout," he protested meekly, but her stone-cold gaze made him shut up.

"Just go to him and apologize for whatever it was that you did!" Serenity snapped. "You know Tristan; he can't hold a grudge any longer than you can hold on to a boyfriend."

Duke glared at her for that, but it was only half-hearted. He got her point… and he really missed Tristan.

"Duke, please."

He dropped the glare immediately at that. How could he say no to her, his dear friend, when she pleaded?

"I'll do my best, Serenity," he promised, and she seemed to relax a little, sending him a half smile; it was the best she could do in her tired state of mind.

"Thank you, Duke," she said, a lot softer now, and on her way out the door, she even stopped and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. Duke stared after her as she walked off down the corridor, and smiled.

He'd missed her too.

Later that day, Duke finally gathered courage enough to walk over to Tristan while he was working on some reports in the ball room. Ignoring the nervous snake coiling around his stomach, he knocked the surface of the table to make the brunette look up from his papers.

"Hey," he murmured and watched sadly how Tristan pulled on a stony mask immediately. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay," Tristan said impassively, and Duke squirmed a little.

"Look," he started. "I'm sorry for a few days ago. I was… I was tired and frustrated and didn't know quite what I was doing. The whole thing was so incredibly stupid, and I don't want to fight with you anymore. We're friends, Tris; isn't it time we start acting like it?"

Tristan regarded him for another few painful seconds, and then he leaned back in his hair.

"She talked to you too?"

Duke froze for a second, then he looked at the floor and nodded.

_But that's not why I wanted us to go back to normal._

Another long silence, then Tristan sighed.

"Okay… let's forget about it." Duke's heart got wings and started to fly. "_But _I think we should avoid anything personal right now… we only end up fighting, anyway. Let's just… let's just focus on working with each other… then we'll see how things go."

Duke's heart somehow broke its neck when it fell as the wings were viciously cut off. He looked at his feet again.

"Yeah… sure… nothing personal."

"Great…" Tristan sounded relieved, and that hurt. "So let's get to work then…" and then he added, as a last nail in the coffin; "For Serenity."

"…Serenity…"

* * *

Yami let his sharp eyes scan the forest beneath him while he relished in the feeling of strong winds against his feather-coat. Flying was one of the few things he liked about this whole "bird-thing". It was incredibly relaxing, and he preferred to do it in his smaller form; he was a lot faster then.

Right now, he was out hunting. Yami actually preferred to find and catch his own food, even though he was well aware that there was more than enough food for him in the village. He didn't know why; perhaps his instincts had changed more than he thought when he was cursed, or maybe his subconscious just didn't like the thought of him relying on someone else for food (even if it _was _Yugi). Either way, it helped him keep his senses sharp and his body in good shape, so he didn't think about or argue with it. Besides, it gave him time to think about everything, and in Yami's situation, anyone would need to think.

Bakura shared this feeling, for he also always caught his food on his own (although Yami had the sneaking suspicion that the proud wolf also wanted to impress Ryou the tiniest bit). As a matter of fact, he was out hunting right now too, but they never went together, since their hunting-styles and preys were so different.

It didn't bother Yami. He liked this alone-time, even if flying with Yugi on his back was a lot better, and more fun. He'd been out for about one and a half hour now, and there was no prey in sight. No small birds hiding among the trees or small animals on the ground. He actually seemed to be all alone up there today, and the thought was both nice and unsettling.

As a matter of fact, Yami had been feeling unsettled for a few days now. He didn't know why, but it was as if he was waiting for something… something bad. He didn't know why, though; ever since Seto had turned back into a dragon after the feast, everything had been like a fairytale. He and Joey were practically glowing- the blond in particular- and their obvious happiness had been transferred to everyone else. They were still bickering like an old married couple, but anyone could imagine that the two of them would be together for the rest of their lives.

Yami didn't know whether he should be happy for them or jealous.

A sudden loud shriek from the forest beneath him starlet Yami out of his thoughts. He stood still in the middle of the air for a moment, once more letting his eyes scan the trees. This time, his hawk-gaze actually detected movement on the ground beneath the tree-tops. But it was far too big to be some small animal for him to hunt.

His interest piqued, Yami dove down and agilely manoeuvred himself between the branches to land in a particularly lush tree, from where he had perfect view of the intruders, but they couldn't spot him.

To the hawk's great surprise, it was a group of humans who were moving through the forest. They were walking beside their horses, and had to use swords and axes to get through the vegetation, but it worked, for they were slowly advancing forward. Yami couldn't be sure, but there seemed to be… _something _moving in the air around the group. A strangely familiar magic, which he couldn't for the life if him put a face to. It irritated him, and so he chose to ignore it for now and focus on the group in itself. Maybe if he listened to what they said, he would be able to figure out what the magic was…

They looked to be around ten to fifteen in number, and were pulling some kind of carriage behind them, but Yami couldn't see it clearly because it was covered by a blanket, and all the trees were in the way. He only had a clear view of the two people walking first in line.

A young brown-haired woman with big blue eyes, who were complaining a lot, and an older bulky blond man who looked clever and arrogant. As far as Yami could see and hear, they were arguing heatedly.

"God damnit!" The woman swore as a branch smacked her in the face and she had to push it away. "This is a freaking jungle! How are we supposed to find _anything_ in here? That stupid Rebecca; couldn't she lead us _around _the forest instead? I bet she just wanted to piss me off by going through here! That's why she's not around! Bet she's sitting outside the forest and laughing at us right now!"

"If you'd been listening when she told us, you would have known that what we're looking for is in the middle of the forest," the man sounded more than a little pissed off, and Yami could clearly imagine his eyebrow twitching and his teeth gritted. "And Rebecca isn't here because she went ahead of us to check so there were no wild creatures out there."

"So she told us, but she's not fooling me!" the woman snapped, making a disgusted face as one of her leather-boots sunk down into a puddle of mud and she had to pull it out. "I'm a lady! I shouldn't be running around in the middle of a dark, dangerous forest like this! I've got needs!"

"Do I have to remind you, dear sister, that it was _you _who wanted to go looking for prince Joey in the first place?! So stop complaining and just do it!"

"There has to be an easier way to look for that blond moron! I bet Rebecca could have come up with one if she'd just tried a little harder!"

"Shut up for once in your life! God, you're so annoying!"

"Just because you're used to swimming with the pigs doesn't mean that I am! Leave me alone!"

Yami sat frozen in the tree, not hearing them anymore, and strangely familiar magic completely forgotten.

Prince Joey.

Blond moron.

How many blond princes named Joey could have been kidnapped at the same time? Not very many, that's how many! These guys were looking for Joey! They were probably from his home-town, completely convinced that Seto had taken him and was holding him against his will. They were coming to get him!

Suddenly, a discussion Yami had had with Seto months ago flashed in his memory.

"_He's the prince of the humans, Seto. They'll come looking for him." _

"_They won't find him here."_

"_They might."_

"_They won't."_

He had to tell the others!

Yami took flight again and headed for the mountain, a queasy feeling starting to bloom in his stomach. What would the others say once he told them? What would Joey do? Seto had played all his cards, and if Joey truly wanted to go home, the dragon would let him. Question was… what would happen to Seto's heart then?

Yami was so occupied with his own thoughts that he didn't feel the big blue pair of eyes which studied him from the top of a tree as he flew away.

* * *

"_That's _what a dragon fairytale looks like?!"

"Wonderful, isn't it?"

"He's lying on a pile of _dead humans_! No wonder you ended up the way you did! You actually _show_ this to your children?!"

"It was war-times, Joey."

"_Dead humans! DEAD HUMANS!_"

"Hey, at least he saved the enchanted treasure box."

"This is sick… just sick…"

Seto chuckled and put the story-book away, looking down at the very much alive human who was lying beside him on the pillow-bed with his body leaning comfortably against Seto's. He couldn't resist reaching out and pulling one claw gently through the golden hair.

"Okay, so what are _your _fairytales like?"

"Corpses aren't piled up, I can tell you that much!" Joey answered with a mock-glare. "Usually, it's about some princess who needs to be saved by either a prince or a knight, and they always fall in love and live happily ever after."

"Hn… and what does the princess have to be saved from?"

"Well… it can be an evil wizard or witch… or a troll… or a… dragon…."

"I see… and what does the knight do once he encounters the dragon?"

"Well… he usually… slays it."

"A-_ha._"

"Okay, okay, I see your point," Joey said and pushed the claw out of his hair, grinning up at Seto. "But I still think your fairytales are sick."

"And I think yours are sick, so we are even."

From the fireplace, Mokuba laughed cheerfully.

"A princess taken by a dragon? Doesn't that sound familiar, Joey?"

"I'm not a princess!" Joey roared and blushed. Noticing Seto's wide smirk out of the corner of his eye, he lashed out and punched the dragon in the side, even though he could hardly feel it. "I'm _not_!"

"Could have fooled me," Bakura muttered from the floor at Ryou's feet.

"No one said you were, Joey," Malik said with a grin. "Aren't we a little _too_ defensive?"

"Stop picking on me!" Joey shrieked and turned to the only female in the room. "Isis! Make them stop."

"Running to mommy like a little girl?" Marik cackled and had to dodge as a book came flying from Joey's direction.

"I dare you to say that do my face, you scabby half-wolf! Imma-" a claw hooked itself in his collar and Joey was half lifted into the air, making him choke.

"That's quite enough from you. Bad dog," Seto said calmly, setting him back down before any damage could be done.

"Asshole…" Joey hissed with a glare. "Just you wait till you fall asleep… asssssshollllllle!" Seto just rolled his eyes, and the others laughed.

"I hate to interrupt," Yami said as he suddenly landed on the windowsill and regarded them with serious red eyes. "But I've got news."

"Thus the bird destroys the mood like usual," Marik said merrily. "Do tell us, oh Master of Feathers!"

Yami shot him a quick, cold look before turning to Seto and Joey.

"I saw some people in the forest," he began, and Joey felt Seto freeze. "A whole bunch of them. They were heading straight for the village, but I don't think they know that. I listened in, and there was a woman there who complained a lot about how they had gone off on a wild goose-chase or something."

"Was it really humans, Yami?" Yugi asked, his smile gone now.

"I'm positive."

"But what are they doing here?" Ryou asked, a small frown showing up on his face.

Something strange was happening in Joey's stomach. It was lurching unpleasantly and starting to fill with ice at the same time, and he soon figured out why, at Yami's next words:

"They were talking about… finding _you_, Joey."

It was like someone had hit him in the face with a sledgehammer. Joey was vaguely aware that someone let out a soft gasp behind him, and that the room had gone deadly quiet, but all he could focus on was that his thoughts and emotions had been thrown into a blender. His heart was beating painfully and it felt like he would throw up. Distress similar to his own was oozing off of Seto, and without even realizing it, Joey leaned into him for comfort.

"They've found me…" he murmured disbelievingly. "I thought for sure they would have stopped looking by now."

_You moron!_ Some part of him screamed. _Of course they haven't stopped looking! This is Serenity we're talking about! You know how stubborn she is, and she loves you! She'd keep looking for the rest of her life, if she had to! _

And just like that, reality kicked in and a whole _mountain _of guild fell down on Joey.

What the hell was he doing here?! He had a family- a sister, a mother, a grandfather, two almost-brothers waiting for him! He had a whole kingdom which he was destined to take over and rule! He had a fucking _duty _towards every man, woman and child in Domino! And for months, he had been ignoring that! He had _forgotten about it_!

"Oh gods…" he choked out and slapped a hand over his mouth to hold a sob in. His conscience had finally broken free from the box where he'd sealed it in order to be with Seto. Now it tore through him, roaring and breaking like a tornado, and Joey was helpless to stop it.

"Joey…" Seto was leaning in to him, nuzzling his hair, but not even that helped.

"I can't stay here…" he choked out while fighting like mad to keep the tears at bay. "I've been away for so long; I've hurt them so much… how could I just…. Please Seto…" He looked up at Seto with shining eyes, unable to stop all his desperation and guilt from showing. "Please Seto... I just can't leave them… please let me go, please understand…"

Seto's eyes widened a fraction, and they just stared silently at each other; Joey trembling violently, and Seto sitting stock-still. Isis had stood up from her place and walked over, but before she could touch either of them or say anything, Seto answered:

"Okay."

Isis froze, Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba's eyes widened considerably, Bakura looked up in surprise, Malik and Marik remained where they were silently, and Yami studied Seto with pity and understanding in his dark eyes.

"If that's what you really want…" Seto continued. "You're free to go anytime you want to…"

Every tension just left Joey, and suddenly he felt empty inside. Months ago, he would have been ecstatic to hear Seto say that… but this wasn't months ago. This was now, this was here, and it meant that he'd have to leave all of this behind. Everyone he'd come to know, his friends… Seto…

But at the same time, he just couldn't deny his guilt anymore. His loved ones were looking for him; they were here, and he if he ignored that, then he'd be forsaking all the love he had for his sister, mother, grandfather and friends back in Domino.

And so, he forced himself to give Seto a small, faded smile.

"Thank you…" he whispered, but Seto just swallowed and looked away. He stood up, and so did Joey.

"Go get your stuff ready," Seto told him softly, and for once, Joey didn't object to the order. "I'll prepare everything here."

Joey didn't want to leave him. He wanted to make a joke so they could go back to the way they'd been only a few minutes ago, but he had to do this. He had been stalling for far too long already. And there was nothing he could say to make this better –easier- anymore. So he just looked at his feet and mumbled:

"Sure…" before turning and walking out the door, not wanting to look at any of his friends. He didn't want to see the sadness, disappointment, maybe even anger, which would be there in their gazes.

He made his way to Seto's room on autopilot. It was ridiculous to think that only a few weeks ago, he'd been getting lost here every day. Now he knew his way around just as well as anyone else; as if he'd been living here for years.

He'd moved into Seto's and Mokuba's room on the very same day as Seto had turned back into a dragon. It was Mokuba who had made the offhanded suggestion, and Joey had immediately taken the bait. He'd moved all his things (he didn't have very many to begin with) into the bedroom and had been sleeping with the two dragons ever since. It was a lot more comfortable than it sounded: he'd taken the place between Seto's front legs, while Mokuba had been snuggled up to his older brother's side. It worked for Joey because it was warm and comfortable and Seto, and he didn't have any nightmares when he slept close to the dragon.

Even now the thought made Joey smile, despite the fact that his heart ached with every beat. He' would never sleep curled up to Seto like that again. All of that was over now.

Even though it hurt, Joey couldn't help but replay some memories from this room while he packed his spare-clothes into a bag. He remembered so vividly the first time he'd stepped into this cave; a scared and confused captive to an unknown dragon. He remembered his and Seto's first _real _encounter:

"_You talk!__" _

"_What did you think I was going to do? Yodel?"_

"_But then you __ARE__ a real dragon!_

"_Are all humans this stupid, or did I just happen to grab a bad example?"_

Joey took a deep breath to expel that memory. For a second, he reflected on how much things had changed since that day, and then he closed the bag and lifted it from the bed. He took a moment to strap his belt with the sword around his waist before turning around.

Seto was standing in the doorway.

For a moment the two of them just stood there, staring at each other. Joey couldn't look away from his dark, serious eyes; he didn't want to look away. In a few hours, he'd never be able to see them again. The thought hurt so much.

After a moment he sighed and _forced _himself to break the gaze, closing his eyes instead and clutching the bag to his chest.

"Seto…"

"It's nothing." Seto interrupted him before he said anything more. "Don't say anything."

Joey still had his eyes closed, but somehow he knew that Seto stepped into the room now, moving as quietly as usual. How many times had he scared Joey shitless when he just showed up like that out of nowhere? How many awkward situations had it gotten them into? It wasn't important, and Joey discarded the thought when Seto stopped right in front of him, looking down at him with the same sad, serious eyes. The blond still had his eyes closed, but he could _feel _them moving over him; Seto's eyes were like that- like lasers.

Another moment of silence, then the dragon reached out with one big claw and caressed a smooth cheek softly. He was so gentle…

"I'll have Yami take you down to the village, and Yugi and Ryou and all the others will hide up here," he said quietly, watching Joey lean into his touch with eyelids still shut. "You can wait for those humans in the village, and when they find you, you can tell them how you managed to escape from the horrible dragon." Here, he paused and swallowed. "And when you leave… when you leave here I want you to promise me… never to tell anyone about this place."

Joey's eyes flew open at that, and he stared up at this beloved creature with pained eyes.

"Seto-" he tried again.

"Not about me or Mokuba, Yami and Bakura or anyone else. I don't want you to tell anyone about the things we have been through or the things you have heard… or what's happened between us two… I want you to promise me not to tell anyone. Not even your family."

"I can't-"

"I don't trust them, Joey," their eyes met. "I don't trust any of them, no matter what you say…. But I trust you… so promise me."

What could Joey do? He didn't want to argue with Seto about this. He didn't have the _energy _to argue with him. This dragon… this arrogant, infuriating, stubborn, proud, strong, brilliant, beautiful dragon meant so much to him… he didn't want to disappoint- _betray_- him, but he didn't want to forget about him either!

"Promise, Joey."

So what could he do?

"I promise."

"Good."

One human hand reached up to caress the claw still stroking his cheek while they kept looking at each other. The texture of the claw was strange beneath Joey's fingertips, against his palm, but not bad. It was a part of Seto, and just like the rest of him, it was strangely warm.

Suddenly Seto swallowed thickly.

"I wish I could kiss you," he whispered, voice full of longing and frustration and those other feelings that Joey felt too but was too much of a coward to explore. Feelings that made him want try cry and writhe in despair at just those six words.

But all he did was blink rapidly a few times and answer hoarsely:

"Yeah… me too."

It sounded so weak when he said it like that, but how could he ever express the fierce need to have Seto's lips on his just once more? Just one more time to get him through the rest of his life…

But of course, he couldn't.

Knowing just how close to tears he was, Joey turned away from Seto's touch, and with one last sad look at the dragon he walked out of the bedroom.

Seto didn't follow.

In the corridor, Joey was assaulted by even more memories. He saw Mokuba flying through the very same passage for the first time, with a large grin on his face; himself, Yugi and Ryou chasing after him and shouting encouragements.

He saw Seto's sleepy and at the same time frustrated face as he woke him up one rainy night.

"_Now, what the hell do you want?"_

"_I lost my sword!" _

"_What?"_

"_I lost my sword! __The night we fought the unicorn, I dropped it, and forgot to pick it up before we went back!"_

"_Can't this wait until morning?"_

"_I need to get it back right __now__!"_

"_Fine! Have it your way, you stubborn, stupid, sloppy, pleading idiot! I doubt I'd be able to go back to sleep anyway!"_

As he continued down the corridor, he saw Isis curious face staring at him from his inner eye, a basket of apples hanging from her arm and her expression serious.

"_What are you two up to?__ At first I just assumed that you and Seto disliked each other. All that fighting… who wouldn't have thought that? But now… Joey, you're not even fighting anymore. You're just… __teasing__ and bickering. And now you tell me that he took you down to the forest when you __asked__ him, and that he __gave__ you a new sword? That's just not __like__ Seto! So I have to ask… what are you two __really__ doing?"_

He had been so stupid to not understand what was going on. It was all so obvious what he and Seto had been doing- still _were_ doing- now. Or maybe he _had _understood it back then too, but just hadn't been brave enough to admit it to himself. Either way, he knew now. They had finally figured it out, and now it was over before it even had a chance to truly begin. Why had he wasted so much time hesitating!?

He passed the library where he had spent so many nights with the gang. Where he, Yugi, Ryou and Mokuba had searched so frantically for a way to learn flying. Where Marik had told them the terrible story of his life, and where the gang had come up with the useless plan to try and make Seto like Joey.

"_Let 'Operation: Woo Seto' begin!" _

"_Please Mokie, never call it that again! It makes it sound as if I wanna get into his pants!"_

Oh, the irony.

He even took a few wrong-turns (he didn't know why he was torturing himself like this, but he just had to see everything one more time. He wanted to remember this place, which had become his home, even if he could never tell anyone about it), just so he could pass by the locked door of Seto's office, where they had gotten into that huge fight, which had ended with Seto telling Joey so much.

"_Everything in here… every painting, book and __item, belonged to my parents."_

"_So that's why you didn't want me to see this place? Because I'm human?_

"_No, the reason I want to keep this place hidden is because I don't want people to know I still have things from my parents. They died hundreds of years ago; I should have been able to move on by now. But I can't. This… this is my most well guarded secret. It's my, in lack of better words, safe heaven_."

Now when Joey though back, that had been a turning point in his life. That day, he had realized what he felt for Seto for the first time. And yet… he hadn't done a thing. Seto had been the one to take all the steps in their relationship, from beginning to end. Joey had just… gone with the flow.

Maybe it would have been better if none of them had done _anything_. Maybe it would have been better if these feelings had never escalated. Maybe it would have been better if they had never developed these feelings.

But Joey couldn't bring himself to regret it. Not when he thought about Seto's human face, so handsome and fascinating. Not when he thought about warm, smooth hands on his body, husky whispers and the pleasure they had had together. Not when he thought about silly little fights which was more for fun than anything. Not when he thought about infuriating smirks, snarky comments and sharp blue eyes. And sadly, that was just the tip of the iceberg; there was so much more.

He passed his own bedroom, the kitchen, the air-hole, the treasure-chambers, the other libraries… and with every new room, every new corridor, there was another little piece that flashed in his memory. Those pieces together created his home. Joey could only imagine how many memories he would have had if he had stayed here. Now, he would never know.

Isis, Mokuba, Yami, Yugi, Ryou, Bakura, Malik and Marik were waiting for him in the room with the great entrance once he finally made his way over there. They all wore expressions of sadness and finality, which only made Joey's heart break a little more.

Mokuba was the first to spot him, and he trotted over (no bounce in his steps today) to Joey and gave him a firm hug. His head rested gently on Joey's shoulder, and one of his small claws were wrapped around Joey's torso. His wing circled them both in a protecting manner, reminding Joey a little of his older brother.

"I'm gonna miss you so much," he whimpered softly, and Joey could hear that his tears weren't far away. "Don't forget about me!"

"_I'm glad you're here! I never had the chance to thank you yesterday! __I'm Mokuba, by the way."_

"You're the baby-brother I never had, Mokie," Joey answered just as thickly. "I could never forget about you."

After another few moments, they broke apart, and Mokuba had tears running down his face. Isis stroked the drakling's cheek softly, and then she turned to Joey. She looked tried and worn; the very same morning she'd looked happy and glowing.

"Make sure you end up happy, Joey," she said after a moment, and Joey didn't know what to say to that. He just hugged her, and she hugged him back just as tightly.

Ryou and Yugi were next. They both embraced him at the same time, and for a moment, the three of them stood completely still, pressing their heads together.

"_Finally, you're awake! We've been waiting for you to wake up. As soon as Mokuba told us there was a human visiting, we all knew we had to meet him!"_

"_It's nice to meet someone new for once. It was getting a little boring here until __you showed up."_

"_Okay, Joey, if that is what you truly want, then I'll do anything I can to help you. We're friends__, after all."_

"_Well…. This is only a suggestion, but have you ever considered actually being nice to Seto? I don't know how it is where __you__ come from Joey, but here it's not very friendly to yell and insult someone every time you see them."_

God, Joey would miss them!

Bakura looked a lot more grumpy than usual, but only offered a small growl when Joey bent down to pat his head and smile at him tiredly.

"Take care of Ryou," he whispered so that only the wolf could here it. "And don't give up. He loves you too, I know it."

Bakura's head snapped up at that, and he stared at the blond in shock, but Joey had already turned to Malik and Marik.

"Well, since your mind's made up," Malik said professionally and held his hand out to Joey. "It was a pleasure getting to know you."

Joey ignored his hand in favour of giving him a hug. Malik froze and patted him on the back awkwardly, and Joey pulled away after only a moment, smiling at him before turning to his mate. Marik grinned and didn't freeze up as Joey gave him a hug too. He even gave Joey's shoulder a friendly pat when he pulled away after a moment.

"I bet five bucks you'll be back before the end of the week," he joked, and Joey gave him a small smile. The werewolf had been a good sparring-partner, and he might be fucked up in a lot of ways… but he was a friend.

Yami was waiting for him in his larger form, right by the half circle-shaped entrance, and his red eyes were as dark as everyone else's. When Joey turned to him, he spread his wings a little and bent, showing that Joey could climb onto his back anytime he wanted.

"Time to go?" He asked softly.

Joey hesitated and turned to look at all his friends; his family.

Mokuba; with his tear-stained cheeks and big, beautiful, expressive eyes, Isis; wise, sisterly Isis, who seemed to cherish each and every one of them more than her own life, Yugi and Ryou –those two talented boys would be so great and didn't know it, Bakura; that grumpy wolf who pretended to hate them all and yet viewed them as family, and Marik and Malik; they were both crazy in their own ways, but seemed to have found peace in each other.

Each and every one was unique, each and every one had their own story, personality and features, but all of them had won a special place in Joey's heart, and he would never, ever forget them.

"Well," he said softly, trying to give them all one last smile. He hoped it didn't look all too much like a grimace or something. "Bye, guys."

Some of them tried to answer the smile, some didn't, and then Joey took a deep breath, turned around and climbed onto Yami's back.

The flight down to the village was quiet, and Yami didn't speak until they had landed on the meadow and Joey had climbed off his back.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" he asked, and Joey looked at him hopelessly. Yami, who had always seemed to know everything, whose life had been so tragic, knew all about responsibilities, and Joey just knew he understood.

"This is what I have to do," he answered honestly, and Yami nodded.

"I thought you would say that."

A long pause; then…

"Take care, Joey…. And thank you for everything."

Joey followed his dark shape until he disappeared into the mountain, and then he turned and walked over to the village, where Yugi's grandfather was waiting for him with a concerned look on his face. Something in Joey's expression must've told him that the younger man didn't want to talk about it, because he didn't say anything: just lead Joey to the house where he would be spending the night.

* * *

"I was so afraid that you would break his heart," Isis stated as she walked into Seto's office. "But I think it ended up the other way around."

Seto didn't answer. He was lying on a bed of pillows in front of the giant painting of himself and his family, staring up at the familiar faces without blinking. His face was completely expressionless. Isis sighed and walked over to sit down beside him.

"You mean a lot to him, Seto," she said softly. "But Joey is Joey."

He still didn't say anything. Nothing flickered in his empty eyes, his expression stayed stony; his body didn't move an inch. But after a moment:

"I wish to become a human. Forever."

Isis turned to look at him in surprise for a moment, then she understood what he was talking about, and she sighed again, placing a hand on his scales. Seto compared the feeling to that of Joey's hand. It was nowhere near the same.

"It's not the right wish, Seto," she said sadly, and he wasn't surprised.

"I know," he said. "Just thought I'd make a try."

They just sat there for a moment. Seto felt Isis' eyes on him, studying him and trying to read him, but he refused to show her anything. He didn't want pity, but he didn't want understanding either. He didn't want anything, except to have Joey back. But he refused to show that.

"I'm so sorry, Seto."

He refused.

"Yeah… me too…"

* * *

Joey didn't know if it was meant as some kind of cruel joke that the house he was going to spend the night in had a perfect view of the hollow mountain, but it did. And he couldn't help but sit by one of the windows and look out at it, thinking of all the people inside it (_Seto_) and everything they had been through together (_Seto_), and how much he would miss them (_Seto_). He should have been thinking up a story to tell the rescue-group one they got to the village, but his brain and heart refused to cooperate.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there when he heard soft footsteps behind him and Mai appeared in the doorway. She walked over to sit in the chair right beside his own, just looking at him.

"I'm off to join the others in the mountain now, just wanted to say goodbye to my favourite boytoy before I go, since we'll all be hiding up there. Don't want the rescuers to find out about the magic around this place, do we?" She said and tried to sound cheerful. It was no use.

"_Seto _doesn't want them to find out," Joey muttered and finally took his eyes of the mountain to look at her with a mixture of frustration and pain. "He made me promise not to tell a single soul about this place. I'm supposed to just forget about all of this! As if that's possible!"

Mai raked a hand through her hair, leaning back in the chair and looking out the window. After a moment she spoke:

"You don't know what Seto was like before you showed up, Joey." He looked at her in surprise, but she continued: "oh, you might not _think_ you've made much of a difference here, but the changes in his nature have been astounding ever since you showed up. He almost never went out before you, much less spoke to people. And he never, _ever _made jokes or bickered for fun, like you two do." She turned to meet his gaze, and her violet orbs were dead serious.

"You might only have been here for three or four months… but Joey, you've accomplished more change in Seto in those months than anyone else has in over four hundred years. Even Mokuba."

For some reason, Joey felt ashamed. Not embarrassed, but ashamed. He looked down at his hands.

"Do you even realize how much of a change that is?" Mai asked seriously. "Do you even realize what you have done? You've done something _incredible_. You turned him _good_."

"Don't be ridiculous." Joey interrupted. "There is no way I could-"

"You can," she told him confidently. "You can and you have. Nothing will ever be the same around here, ever again. Don't you understand, Joey? He gave you his _heart_."

Joey's head snapped up.

"He didn't-"

"Did he not give you his body? Did he not let you have him, just as much as he had you? Trust me, Joey, Seto doesn't do things in half, and he is _never _not sure. There is no way he would have turned himself into a human and had sex with you if he wasn't one hundred percent sure what he felt."

Joey gaped at her dumbly, and apparently she thought she had to spell it out to him.

"He's completely in love with you."

_No… that can't be right… I care so much about him… and I know he cares for me a lot… but he can't… I can't have hurt him like that! _

"Mai… that can't be true… I… he… I'm just…" he trailed off, once again at a loss of words. He seemed to be that a lot today.

She watched his internal struggle with a gentle smile for a moment, and then she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Think about it for a moment, Joey," she encouraged softly. "Think about the way he treats you… looks at you… the way he makes you feel, and all the things he's done for you." His eyes widened, and she knew he had gotten it. "If it's not love… what else could it be?"

Joey sat frozen in his seat, and he barely noticed when she got up and bent over to give him a kiss on the forehead.

"Goodbye Joey, it really was a pleasure getting to know you," she said, feeling a little bad for leaving him like this. But there was nothing more she could do; it was up to him now.

She stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at him; he hadn't moved an inch.

"Just do you know… you're free to come back to us anytime you want."

And then she too was gone.

Joey sat where he was, staring off into space, thinking the same thing over and over again.

_He helped me when I lost my sword._

_He saved me from Anubis._

_He stopped from diving after Mokuba when I told him to._

_He tried to protect me from Siegfried. _

_He broke a wing for me. _

_He turned into a human for me._

Joey raised a hand to his mouth, trying to control a sob, like he'd done earlier in the library. But this time he couldn't hold it in. Neither could he stop the scorching hot tears from running down his face as he squeezed his eyes shut. It felt like the pain was shredding his very insides, and Joey could only sit there, folded in half in the chair, and cry freely at the pain.

**I actually don't know what to think about this chapter…. Part of me wants to like it, and the other part doesn't think it's emotional enough. I guess I'll just let you be the judge, like usual! **

**I have a dream! **

**My dream is to get 1000 reviews for this story! I've never dared think about it before, but as it looks now, I just might accomplish that! Wanna help me? Please help me accomplish my dream! **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **

**Until next time! **

**R&R!!!**


	29. Enemy at your Doorstep

Chapter twenty-eight: Enemy at your Doorstep

"Prince Joey!"

Joey could only gape in shock as Téa threw herself at him in a tight hug, Keith lurking a few metres behind her among the five unknown men they had brought with them. The two siblings and their little troop had come stumbling out of the forest and straight into the village only a few moments ago, and as soon as Téa had caught sight of Joey, her face had lit up and she'd thrown herself at him, not caring that her horse had trotted off when no one was holding the reins. And all Joey could do was stare at her in shock.

"T-Téa?"

He couldn't believe that of all the people that must be out looking for him, _these two _had been the ones to find him! Talk about bad luck!

"You're alive! We were so worried!" Téa cooed as soon as she'd released her stranglehold, and instead latched on to his arm. "You have no idea how long we've been looking for you, your highness! Keith here was starting to doubt, but I was adamant that we'd keep looking for you! Everyone else had lost hope of ever finding you, even you sister, but I refused to give up! And look, now I've found you and-"

"How the hell did you get here?" Joey asked, still shocked, and a bit disappointed. He didn't believe what Téa had said about his sister for a second, but he'd hoped that he'd be found by someone he at least liked!

"Oh, we've got our ways, little prince," Keith, who had finally made his way over to them (after catching Téa's horse) told him with a strange grin on his face. Joey scowled; in the months he'd been away, he'd forgotten just how strong his dislike for Keith was.

"Oh, stop it with the mystery-act, Keith," Téa scolded, and then turned to Joey with another dazzling smile. (A few young boys in the village couldn't help but glance her way and blush.) "We got the help of an old seer," she explained. "He told us to go east from Domino, as far as we could, and look: here we are!"

"Here you are," Joey agreed a lot less enthusiastically. "So you came all this way just to get me? _You two_?"

"Of course!" Téa said, then her expression turned a lot more solemn as she looked up at him. "Don't you think we know about the things the court says about us behind out backs? We are well aware of our reputation, your highness. And the fact that your kidnapping was our fault didn't exactly make it any better! But no matter what people say, we _do _want to fit in and we _are _loyal to the royal family! And to prove that, I was determined to bring you back alive! Maybe people will give us a bit more recognition when they hear about everything we've been through to find you"

Joey looked at her in surprise, but her face stayed honest and her eyes were serious. For the first time Joey started to consider if he'd been wrong about Keith and Téa. He didn't know about her older brother, but Téa actually seemed to mean what she said.

"If that's the case…" Joey told her slowly, unsure of how exactly he should handle this, "then I owe you a big thank you… and an apology."

Téa's face lit up and her grip on his arm tightened a little more. It hurt, but Joey tried to ignore it. Maybe he'd been too hasty in his judgement of Téa. Sure, she was annoying, but maybe, just maybe, she was a good girl.

"That's not necessary, your majesty," she said softly. "But I appreciate it, all the same!"

Keith, standing before them and witnessing this whole display, had to admit that he was impressed with his sister. She could be one heck of an actor when she wanted to! If he hadn't been spending the last few months with her, hearing her bitch about the plan and Rebecca and what she'd do once they took control over Domino, _he _would have been fooled by her!

"So, my prince," he cut in, making Joey look at him instead. "If you don't mind me asking… what happened with the dragon?"

Joey's face turned solemn. He'd been able to puzzle together a believable lie yesterday, and every member of the village had been told exactly what to do once Joey's recue-party showed up. The blond had been rehearsing all night, and now the words came to him easily.

"For days we flew, and that monster didn't stop until it had brought me to a hidden cave far from here. Luckily, it was a big cave, and I managed to hide in one of the smaller passages. It took a few days before I managed to find a way out of there, and then I just ran for my life. I travelled for almost a month before I got here and theses people took me in. Before then, I'd been running from village to village, looking for things to eat and a place to stay. These people were the first who believed me and offered to take me in. I was going to continue my journey to get home in a few days. But now you're here, so we can travel together."

It wasn't the best of lies, but honestly, it was more believable than telling them that he'd befriended and fallen in love with the dragon and that it had let him go freely.

"So…" Téa said warily. "The dragon is not here? Nowhere around here?"

"I don't know the exact distance, but I think its cave should be miles away," Joey lied. "Maybe it followed me and tried to find me, but I haven't seen in since I escaped."

"Are you sure about that?" Keith said. Joey met his gaze and understood immediately that he wasn't convinced. Still he kept his face carefully neutral.

"Positive," he answered shortly, and next thing he knew, someone was standing beside him.

"Oh, I didn't realize we had guests!" Solomon said pleasantly with a smile which made his old face even wrinklier. "What a lovely young lady and handsome man! This is certainly a surprise! We haven't had any guests in fifty years, and suddenly you all show up at the same time! I take it you already know Joseph?"

"Uh, yes… we're members of the court," Téa said and looked at him in confusion. "Who are you?"

"Solomon Mouto, village eldest and leader," Solomon answered still with the smile in place as he stuck a hand out for Téa to take. "This is a delightful surprise; I was afraid we would have to send Joseph on his way home all alone."

"So you know what he's been through?" Keith asked quickly, a strange look in his eyes.

"Joseph is a very brave and strong young man to have survived an encounter with a dragon," Solomon said once Téa had shaken his hand. He directed an admiring smile at Joey, and the blond had to admit that the old man was a good actor. "We've never actually seen a dragon in this village, but we've heard stories from travellers. And trust me, if you'd seen the state Joseph was in when he got here, you would have believed him too! Weak, hungry and all shaken up! It's taken him weeks to recover, but like I said, he's strong."

"I owe these people my life," Joe said and directed a grateful smile at Solomon. This little act was going pretty well, even if he was saying so himself.

Keith and Téa exchanged a quick look, and Joey mentally held his breath before Téa smiled again and said:

"Well… I'm just happy that you're safe, your highness. Bet this will be an incredible story to tell you family at home."

"Yes, it will," Joey agreed. Inwardly he smiled in relief, because it actually seemed like they had fallen for the lie. "Speaking of which… how are things at home."

"Oh, we've had contact with someone in the palace," Téa explained. "In one of his letters he told me that king Rabastan had blown off the search for you; apparently there has been some terrible massacre in a village, and he needed all his men to find the culprits. Mine and Keith's group," she made a gesture at the five men who was still standing behind them awkwardly, "is the only one still looking for you."

Joey felt pain well up in his stomach, but he quickly pushed it down again. If there really had been a massacre, then it was only natural that his grandfather would focus on that more than his grandson's abduction. Joey had no right to feel hurt just because the king had to prioritize. Besides; it wasn't as if he'd been very loyal to his family in the last few weeks.

Feeling that familiar guilt well up inside him again, Joey answered:

"If that's the case, I'd like to go back home as soon as possible. Maybe they've stopped looking, but my family must still be worried sick about me! And I've missed them so much."

At least _that _wasn't a lie.

"With all due respect, your highness," Téa said. "We've been looking for you for a long time and haven't gotten any rest. Would it be too much to ask for us to stay a few days before we go back to Domino?"

Joey hesitated at that. He knew that the longer they stayed here, the greater were the chances of Seto and the others being discovered. Besides, staying here meant even more pain, longing and insecurity for himself. At the same time, it would probably make Téa and Keith suspicious if they left _too _soon, since these people had been taking care of him and everything.

Joey saw Solomon watch him out of the corner of his eye, and understood the old man was probably thinking the same thing. Making a quick decision, he answered:

"Okay, we'll stay until tomorrow, so you guys can get some proper food and sleep, but tomorrow we really should head for Domino."

"We villagers will make sure you get enough supplies to make it back," Solomon cut in with another friendly smile. "Now, how about we make sure you all get something to eat? After such a long journey you must be starving for real food, and Joseph's friends are our friends."

All of them, even Keith, lit up at the suggestion, and Solomon eagerly led them to one of the large tables which was still standing outside after the huge feast a few days ago, when Seto had turned into a human.

Joey refused to think about that.

The five men, Keith and Téa seemed more than happy to taste anything that the villagers had to offer. The young men flocked around Téa, and she laughed in that coy way of hers and made sure they were all wrapped around her finger. Joey stayed with them, and every now and then he asked more questions about Domino, but they didn't really have much information to give him on that area. Mostly, Joey just sat quietly at their side, lost in his own thoughts. He didn't notice the way Keith leaned back in his seat, looking right up at the hollow mountain, and at the dark opening which led into Seto's home. Nor did he notice how he and Téa sometimes exchanged looks before glancing over at him.

It wasn't until Joey had gone of to help a few girls fold some sheets or something, that Keith waved Solomon over to himself and asked him to sit down.

"Can I ask you something, old man?" He said thoughtfully, smirking at Solomon.

"You just did," Solomon joked with a friendly smile before leaning forward in his seat to show Keith that he was listening.

"That hole, up there," Keith said and pointed up at the opening he had been studying. "What is that?"

Solomon followed his gaze, and once he realized what Keith was asking, he stiffened mentally, immediately on guard. Outwardly, however, he didn't show any signs of discomfort; just kept his friendly smile in place.

"Oh it's just an abandoned cave," he answered casually, shrugging. "It's quite small, actually; not even deep enough for a bear to use as home during its winder-sleep."

Keith studied it for a moment before continuing:

"Can one get up there?"

"Well, you can, but it's a very dangerous climb," Solomon warned. "We actually lost two of our young men when they tried to get up there. Besides, it's haunted, so we stay away. As long as we don't disturb the ghosts, they aren't likely to disturb us."

"But if I would want to go up there, I'd be able to?" Keith urged, and Solomon was just about to answer when Joey, who was back once more, interrupted them.

"We don't have time explorations, Keith. You should try to get some rest, and we're leaving tomorrow."

Keith turned around and met his gaze. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment; Joey refusing to show any signs of weakness under the other man's penetrating gaze, and then Keith smirked and nodded.

"Of course, your highness," he said shortly, and Joey nodded back. Beside her brother, Téa shifted uncomfortably.

"There there, don't argue about this, gentlemen! You can always come back some other time and climb up there, my lord," Solomon told Keith good-naturedly, before turning to Joey. "Joseph, would you mind helping me with a few boxes in my house?" His eyes told Joey that that wasn't really what he wanted.

"Sure," Joey answered shortly and followed the older man. Keith and Téa watched them go.

"Something's wrong here," Téa stated after a moment. Keith rolled his eyes.

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Look out for that man," Solomon told Joey while he placed one of the boxes in the blonde's arms. "He's cleverer than one might think."

"I know, which is why I wanna get out of here as soon as possible," Joey admitted quietly. "I get all jittery just knowing they're here. I have to keep the promise I made to Seto!"

"We'll all keep an eye on them," Solomon assured him. "We'll have to try and relax; what harm can they do in twenty-four hours?"

* * *

"You made sure no one followed you?" Was the first thing Rebecca asked when Keith stepped into the camp they had put up in the middle of the forest, far away from the village.

They had decided that it was safer if most of them stayed hidden, rather than just marched straight into the village without thinking. Téa, Keith and the five men who had been chosen to go with them were supposed to scout the place out, and now, Keith was grateful that they had made that decision.

"Don't worry, I was careful," he said. "Besides; Téa's keeping everyone's attention on her, so it was easy for me to get away. She's really in her element now."

"Hn," Rebecca huffed and looked down at him from where she was sitting in a tree, keeping watch. "So what do you think?"

"The prince is there," Keith explained and leaned against a tree opposite the one Rebecca was sitting in. It bothered him a little that he had to look up at her, but he didn't mention it. He was smarter than that.

"According to himself and everyone in the village, he managed to escape the dragon weeks ago and flee to this place…. Which means we followed the sword for nothing and are now back on square one."

"You don't seem to mind that," Rebecca pointed out calmly.

"That's because I don't think we're back on square one," Keith said. "The place _seems_ normal enough at first glance… but there's something I can't put my finger on… something that's a little off."

"You think the prince is lying?"

"Yes. I have no idea why he'd do that, but he is." He paused for a moment, and then continued: "There's this cave in the mountain above the village. You can see the opening clearly, and according to the village eldest and a few others I've asked, it's been abandoned for years, and no one can get up there without falling and breaking their neck. Apparently, it's haunted."

"How convenient."

"That's what I thought."

Rebecca stayed quiet for a moment, thinking all of this over closely. Keith could practically see the wheels turning in her small blond head. When she spoke again, there was a strange gleam in her eyes.

"If you're right, that must be the place where the dragon is hiding. But even if it is, we'll have to be careful to keep the element of surprise on our side. My plan is this: we lay low tonight, and keep watch on the sky. If the dragons really are hiding in that cave, there's a pretty big chance that they'll come out to fly when the dark of night is protecting them. We'll have an excellent chance to catch them then."

"And what if they don't come out tonight?"

"Then we'll simply go up to that cave tomorrow and check it out."

Keith raised an eyebrow at her.

"You think you can beat the dragon on its own territory?"

"Don't underestimate me, Keith," Rebecca said with an unsettling little grin. She suddenly jumped down from the tree and landed agilely in front of him. In a flash her face was serious again. Her mood swings were worse than Téa's. "But I'd really prefer it if we manage to catch them tonight. Make sure all the men are ready with the equipment; and I want you in charge of the harpoon. I've heard that you're a decent archer?"

Keith smirked arrogantly.

"I've won a few contests," he admitted smugly.

"Good, then I want you to shoot the dragon for me." Her eyes darkened and fixed on him intently. "Make sure you don't screw up."

"Relax," Keith said with a roll of his eyes, even though her gaze made him shiver. "I won't miss."

"You better not," Rebecca told him calmly, folding her arms across her chest. "Because trust me; when it comes to dragons, you only get once shot. _Always_."

"Like I said; relax," Keith was getting irritated now. He pushed away from the tree and turned to walk back towards the village. "I need to get back before someone notices I'm gone. Me and Téa will be here after dusk. Make sure you're ready then."

Rebecca watched him go with the same darkness tainting her big blue eyes. When Keith's form had disappeared among the trees, she mumbled to herself:

"I've been waiting for this day for over four hundred years. If you screw it up, I'll burn you alive."

And then she snuck off to the camp to check on their equipment.

* * *

"Prince Joey?"

Joey looked away from the window, where he'd once again sat and gazed up at the mountain, and turned around to face Téa, who was standing in the doorway with a concerned look on her face.

"Yes, lady Téa."

"I'm off to bed in a bit," she explained. "I just wanted to ask first… is everything alright? You… seem different, somehow. It's like something's changed, and I can't put my finger on what it is."

For the second time that day, Joey was surprised by her sharpness. He _did _feel different; older… sadder… tired… but he'd been doing his best to hide it. Yet she knew about it.

"Guess that's what happens when you're kidnapped and have to run for you life," he told her with a faint smile, hoping it would work. Téa answered it hesitantly. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Well… alright then," she said and straightened a little. She gave him another smile, and he could hardly believe that this was the same girl who had annoyed him so before; strange how a few months can change things. "As long as you're sure. Goodnight, your highness."

"Goodnight, my lady."

Téa left him there, silently wondering what the hell was wrong with him, but she forgot about that as she was walking in between two houses and Keith grabbed her arm, pulling her into the shadows.

"Almost everyone's gone to bed. Time to go," he told her in a hushed voice, and she followed him as he snuck between a few more houses and into the forest towards their camp. Téa couldn't help but shiver as the dark trees enclosed her. This forest really gave her the creeps, and she'd be very thankful once they left this place behind and returned to Domino; hopefully with a captured dragon in tow.

"There's something wrong with the prince," she told Keith, mostly to distract herself from the eerie forest. "And it's not just that he's lying about the dragon… he's changed."

"U-huh, tell that to someone who cares," Keith answered distractedly. "Damnit Téa, try to focus on the task at hand. We've got a huge dragon to shoot down!"

She was just about to snap back at him, but they had already stepped into the camp and Keith made his way over to the harpoon-like weapon, which was now uncovered and standing proudly in its place. It had taken weeks before Rebecca had accepted it and told them that it was fit for dragon-hunting, but now they were ready.

Speaking of the witch, she was walking around and giving everyone instructions, telling them to bring the chains and pack their things. They were moving the weapon and all their equipment to the large meadow behind the village, where they'd have a clear sight of the sky, and thereby also the dragons, should they come out and play.

"Girl," Rebecca called to Téa suddenly, "get over here and help me with the horses! We'd better get moving as soon as possible, so help me!"

For once, Téa shut up and did as she was told. There was just something… something insane in Rebecca's eyes tonight. Something that had always been lurking there, but now seemed to have taken control completely. She looked like a child on the night before Christmas Eve. A homicidal child.

Shivering at the thought, Téa took the horses from the girl and watched her skip off to do something else.

Rebecca couldn't help but bounce in anticipation. Her fingertips were tingling with magic; her heart was beating fast and her stomach fluttering wildly. It was like being in love, only ten times better. She hadn't felt this alive in four hundred years. She was getting flashbacks from the first dragon-slayings she'd participated in; she could hear the animals scream and roar in pain, could almost _feel _the last trembles of their bodies before they went limp. Over the years in her queen's service, Rebecca had come to know this feeling, this exhilaration, as something special. It was hard to explain, but either way; there was one thing she knew for sure:

The hunt was on.

* * *

Seto had been tossing and turning in his bed for hours when he finally sighed heavily and carefully disentangles himself from Mokuba and stood up. Even with all his gentleness, the younger dragon still whimpered softly and opened one sleepy eye, looking up at him.

"Seto?" he murmured softly. "Where you goin'?"

"I'm just going to fly for a bit, Mokie," Seto promised and nuzzled the top of his head. "I need to think."

"'Kay," the drakling mewled, then he closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep again. Seto studied him with a gentle smile for a moment longer, then he turned and walked out of the bedroom.

He silently crept down the corridor, passed the rooms Isis and Mai, Yami and Yugi, Malik and Marik, Bakura and Ryou were sharing. He didn't bother with any light; even if his night-vision hadn't been perfect he still knew this place well enough to find his way around at any time. In no time at all he was standing by the entrance, feeling the cold night breeze caress his face.

With a relieved sigh Seto spread his wings and threw himself out into the sky. He knew that none of them should leave the cave until Joey and his company had left, but it was in the middle of the night, and there was no moon. What were the odds of anyone seeing him, even if they against all odds were awake?

As he made loops in the air, spun around and sailed on the winds skilfully, Seto let his mind wander: it was so much easier to think when he wasn't forced to sit around in the cave. The fresh air did wonders for him. And… it was easier to ignore the ache in his chest when he was doing something he really liked.

Joey had made his choice. He was soon going to leave forever, and even if he ever did come back to visit, it wouldn't be the same. He'd have his life in Domino, and visiting would only be like a brief pause in reality. Not to mention the fact that he would have to marry and have children one day, and Seto didn't think he could stand that; to one day realize that he wasn't the only conqueror of Joey's heart.

It might be selfish, but Seto had never envisioned himself as anything other than what he was. He wanted Joey to stay, and the boy had chosen not to. In a way, he was angry at Joey, but mostly, he was just tired… and defeated.

Sighing softly as he did a particularly complex manoeuvre in the air, Seto couldn't help but imagine Joey's face. Laughing, pouting, glaring, screaming, shaking, moaning… gods, he would miss him. How was he ever supposed to forget him? How was e supposed to forget everything they had been trough? The answer to that was simple, really.

He couldn't.

Completely lost in the daze of his thoughts, Seto had no idea what was going on on the ground. He had no idea that twenty to twenty-five pairs of eyes were following him silently, tensely. One pair in particular glowed strangely; Rebecca had cast a special spell on Keith to make sure he'd see his prey properly. Now the young, cruel man directed the point of their weapon straight at the dragon in the air, studying his movements closely and predicting where the dragon would be the next moment; his specialty wasn't hitting moving targets for nothing.

After a moment of adjustments, Keith grinned smugly and held the harpoon steadily.

"Gotcha," he hissed confidently, and then…

…he fired.

The weapon had been very well-built, for now the giant iron-arrow took flight, lunging itself straight into the air with an incredible force, heading straight for Seto.

The dragon didn't have a single moment to think; one moment he was gliding on the winds, and next thing he knew, something had impaled his right wing straight through the bone.

Eyes widening, Seto released a violent roar of pain which could have made glass shatter, before he inevitably started to fall; one wing was not enough to hold his large body in the air.

Rebecca and Keith smirked smugly while their men cheered in triumph and Téa started ordering people around.

"Get the horses and the chains!" She screamed excitedly, already swinging herself onto one horse's back with a chain over her shoulder. "It's gonna land somewhere in the forest! That way! Come on!"

Spurring their horses into an almost panic-y gallop, the criminals that she had hired followed Téa into the forest in the direction they had all seen the dragon fall.

At the same time Joey sat bolt upright in his bed in the village, immediately feeling that something was wrong. Subconsciously thanking the gods that he'd chosen to sleep in his clothes, Joey flew out of bed, grabbed his belt with the sword and ran out the door.

Others had also woken up and were standing around their houses, talking worriedly. As soon as Joey stepped out, Solomon trotted over to him with eyes wide in fear.

"You heard it too?" The old man asked, and when Joey turned to look at him, he could see the panic in amber eyes, and the cold sweat running down the younger man's face.

"That was Seto!" Joey exclaimed, and without another words he started running towards the forest as if some hidden instinct was showing him the way.

"Joey, wait!" Solomon called after him in worry, but the boy was already too far away.

In the forest, Seto was trying to get up from the spot where he'd hit the ground, but his head was spinning terribly and his body, especially his right wing, hurt like hell. His landing hadn't exactly been soft; luckily he'd been able to somehow steer himself towards a glade, so he'd only landed on –and broken- a few trees. The ground had been ripped open as he crashed, small tufts of grass and dirt lying everywhere around him.

After a moment Seto managed to clear his head enough to actually turn around and examine exactly what had happened. His eyes widened as he took in the iron-harpoon sticking straight through his wing, and with a hiss of pain, he managed to reach back and slowly remove it. He had to push it forward and let the whole shaft slide through his wing; trying to pull it backwards would only result in even more damage because of the barb.

After an excruciating moment the weapon finally clattered to the ground, and Seto sighed in both relief and pain as blood started to well up in the hole.

"The wing," he muttered while he started pouring magic into the wound (thanking the gods that he'd let Isis teach him how to heal). "Why does it always have to be the fucking wing?"

The wound had almost closed up completely when a chain suddenly landed around his neck, and Seto's concentration was broken as it yanked his head to the side violently.

"Come on, help me with this one!" The man in charge of the chain screamed. He had bound it to his saddle and made his horse gallop away from the dragon, and Seto, completely unprepared, had been pulled after it. Now, however, he quickly regained his bearings, and with a furious growl he _yanked_, pulling both horse and rider back towards him with such force that the saddle came off and the man went flying while the horse ran away in panic.

"Don't let him get loose!"

Immediately, two other men grabbed the chain and pulled it around a tree, which gave them a little more leverage when Seto pulled again. Of course it wasn't enough, because those two went flying also.

But then yet another chain landed around Seto's neck from the other direction, and he was pulled that way instead. When Seto jerked back this time, he made the _other _chain slacken, giving the men a chance to secure it around another tree. At the same time three, four, _five _other chains were thrown over his back or secured around his feet, and soon Seto was pulled on from all directions; some chains jerking him to the side, some pressing him towards the ground and some tangling around him just to make it harder to move.

It was like a bunch of cowboys trying to catch and tame a particularly strong wild-horse. Seto growled and roared and struggled while more and more chains were added and tied around rocks, trees and anything else the men could get a hold of. They ran around him in circles, screaming to each other all the while trying to avoid powerful paws, dangerous teeth and a furiously swinging tail.

"Hold him! Keep it steady! Don't let him pull loose! Good job!"

"Get me another chain over here!"

"Watch out! Secure the wings! Press him down! That's it!"

"Someone help me! I need a hand on this side!"

"Come on guys, let's show this motherfucker who's the boss!"

"Pull!"

And standing right outside this chaos was Téa, Keith and Rebecca. The witch in particular was watching with the eagerness of a small child, but Téa's and Keith's eyes were also filled with smug triumph.

That is, until Seto seemed to decide that he'd had enough of all this shit, and just pulled with all his might straight upwards.

All the chains were stretched at the same time, but not even that seemed to be enough to keep this powerful creature restricted; the trees groaned and started to pull free from their roots, the rocks cracked completely, and all the men and horses were forced to either let go of the chains or be sent flying. Now the chaos changed character:

"Whoa! _Whoa! WHOA!_"

"Oh my god!"

"Get away!

"Watch out!"

"Let go! He's gonna rip your goddamned arms off with those pulls!"

"We can't hold him!"

The smirks on Téa's and Keith's faces abruptly faded, and the brunette spun around to look at Rebecca.

"_Do something!_" She cried, and Rebecca's grin widened. Her eyes seemed to dance when she raised her hand in front of her own face, balled it into a tight fist, and then made a punching gesture at the ground with it.

Immediately, the chains still hanging and dangling off of Seto started to glow a faint yellow. They seemed to get a life of their own, and suddenly they all shot down towards the ground, digging themselves into the dirt, deeper and deeper until they were firmly attached to the ground without a chance of pulling loose.

This, of course, caused Seto to be pressed towards the ground with a surprised yelp, and there he stayed, unable to move, but with eyes still burning in fury. Quickly the men gathered around him again, throwing a few more chains over his still struggling form just for good measures. One of the bolder once walked up to his head with a large, heavy tree-branch in his hands. He grinned down at the furious dragon and raised it above his own head.

"Not so cocky now, are we?" He goaded smugly and took aim straight between Seto's eyes. "I'll teach you…"

A golden blur, a flash of silver, a splatter of red, and then the branch feel to the ground behind the man… along with his hands.

All the other ones shied away as their comrade tumbled backwards onto the ground, looking at the bleeding stumps where his hands had been attached only a moment earlier. He just stared at them emptily for a second.

Then he screamed.

It was a bloodcurdling sound, and all the men just watched in horror as he scrambled to his feet and took off running into the forest, still screaming in terror and pain. After a second they all turned back around to look at the golden blur which had caused all this.

Joey didn't look like a human as he stood there in front of Seto with shoulders straight and feet far apart, looking ready for any attack. His golden hair seemed to dance around his grave face and burning eyes, and the sword in his hand dripped ruby-red blood.

"Anyone else who wants to loose some limbs?!" He screamed hoarsely at his enemies, wiping some spit from his lips with his free hand. They all gazed upon him in complete terror, and Seto studied his back in disbelief and hope.

"Joey…" he breathed softly, and Joey risked a quick look over his shoulder.

"I'll get you out of this, I promise," he told Seto with a much more gentle voice, and even threw in a smile for good measures. Seto answered it with a crooked one of his own.

Standing behind their men, Téa and Keith seemed to be frozen in shock. As usual the girl snapped out of it first, and she took a step forward, looking at Joey in complete bewilderment.

"Prince Joey," she called to him, eyes wide. "What are you-"

"Don't take one step closer!" Joey barked at her, making the girl stop in her tracks.

"I'll take care of this," Rebecca murmured calmly and pushed Téa aside, walking calmly towards Joey.

The blonde's eyes widened as all the men who had tried to catch Seto stepped aside for this small, innocent-looking girl. They scrambled out of her way in respect; creating a passage for her up to Joey.

"Who are you?" He asked warily, sword held ready.

The girl didn't answer. She just made a sudden movement with her arms, and a wave of magic lifted Joey from his feet, throwing him straight into a three close by with such force that the trunk cracked open. He slid down to its base with a pained groan and his eyes rolled back into his head as he lost consciousness.

"_Joey_!" Seto roared and stared at his still form in worry and fury. Téa winced.

"Be careful," she muttered so that only Keith could hear it. "That's my future slave you're dealing with." Keith simply rolled his eyes.

Seto turned around to stare at the small girl as she stopped in front of him, and when their eyes met hers widened a fraction in surprise.

"Oh…" she said softly, and a smirk spread on her lips. "Oh, you _have to _be Mordechai's son!"

Once again, Seto's eyes widened, before they became slits as he looked up at her.

"You're a witch."

"Correct."

As if the word had been some kind of spell, Seto suddenly started to pull on his chains again, and his eyes, which had already been filled with so much hatred, suddenly starting to _glow_. As a matter of fact, his whole body started to glow faintly, and then something incredible happened.

The chains, which had been enhanced by Rebecca, started to _COME APART_!

Now it was the witch's turn to gape in surprise as this dragon actually started to pull free. There was absolutely nothing she could do: only watch as chain after chain broke and went flying violently.

"Do something!" Téa screamed behind her, and all the men started to scramble away in panic. "_DO SOMETHING!_"

But Rebecca was frozen.

In the end, it was Keith who took matters into his own hands. An idea popped into his head like a blessing, and before he quite knew what he was doing, he's strode over to Joey's limp form, picked up his sword and hurled the boy to his feet. Holding the prince's body to his chest, he pressed the sword to his pulse point threateningly and turned around so that Seto could see.

"Stay put!" He roared, not knowing if this would work or not.

But he soon found out, because Seto's glowing eyes fixed on him, and as soon as he saw the position Keith was holding the younger blond in, he froze, and the glow left his eyes. Left were the usual ocean-blue orbs, filled with dread and anger as he stared at Joey without even blinking.

Time seemed to have stopped, and the chaos from only a few moments earlier was completely gone. Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths, and in the end it was Keith who broke the deadlock by taking a step forward.

"Lie down," he growled between pants, and pressed the blade closer to Joey's throat just for good measures.

Seto stayed unmoving for a moment longer, but then, with a frustrated growl, he actually did what he was told, still not taking his eyes of the human prince that he cared so much for.

Rebecca watched all of this silently, but when Seto did lie down again, she whispered a few words, making the chains tighten around him again. He stiffened, but didn't try to fight them this time.

"Keith, come here," she ordered quietly, and the man obeyed.

When he stopped in front of her, Rebecca tore her eye away from Seto for the first time in favour of studying Joey's still unconscious form. After a moment she held her hand out and whispered another word, and a yellow glowing bond seemed to shoot out from her fingers, wrapping around Joey's neck like a collar. Another identical bond slithered down and bound his wrists together behind his back. At these movements, Joey finally started to stir a little, groaning softly and shaking his head to clear it.

Rebecca watched this, and once his eyes opened and he looked down at her dazedly, she smirked at him, before turning back to Seto.

"Every time you try to pull free," she told him calmly, "these bonds will tighten. Meaning that the more you fight, the sooner he'll die." Her face adopted a thoughtful and yet taunting expression and she glanced at Joey again. "I've heard choking to death is one of the worst ways to go. You can always try it out if you want."

Joey's head finally cleared, and he took in the situation he was in. He and Seto were bound and restricted, not to mention surrounded by enemies who seemed to be hell bent on making them suffer.

Well, shit.

"What do you want from me?" Seto growled at Rebecca, making sure to stay still for Joey's sake.

Rebecca raised an eyebrow.

"Me? I want to kill you. As for these two…" she jerked her head in Téa's direction at the same time as she pointed at Keith. "Well…"

Where the girl trailed off, Téa immediately picked up. She took a few longs steps forward, smirking at both Seto and Joey. She was still pale and shaking, but now that the situation was under control she was a whole lot more controlled.

"We will use you to take over a kingdom," she told Seto, and as the words sunk in, Joey was the one to react.

"What?!" He roared, struggling in Keith's grip but stilling quickly when the blade of his own sword was pressed harder to his throat. That didn't stop his mouth though. "You fucking pieces of worthless traitor-shit!"

"Is that really the mouth of a prince?" Téa asked arrogantly and took a step closer to him, encouraged by the fact that he was tied up and helpless. "Quite frankly, your highness, traitor is such an ugly word. I'd like to think that I'm… guarding my investments."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Joey spat, even though he didn't really care.

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about," Téa said condescendingly, stepping in even closer and gripping his chin. From the ground Seto growled, but he still didn't dare move because of the collar around Joey's neck. "All you need to worry about is how you're going to please your future queen. So what do you say? Give me a kiss?"

Their faces were only inches apart now, and Joey glared straight at her.

"Kiss this," he hissed, and quickly head-butted her.

"Téa!" Keith exclaimed as she fell over backwards. Rebecca burst out laughing and all the men flocked around the brunette-girl, wanting to help her up, but she scrambled to her feet on her own.

"You little shit!" Keith exclaimed and spun Joey around, punching him so hard Joey feel to the ground with a pained yelp. Seto roared and tore at the chains, but as soon as he moved Joey choked and started twisting his head to get the collar off. Seto immediately stilled, and Rebecca stopped laughing just to grin in satisfaction.

"Like an obedient dog," she said scornfully as she looked at Seto. He glared and growled, but didn't move.

"Seto," Joey panted, turning around on the ground to meet the dragon's sharp gaze. "Don't let her do this! You're strong enough! Break free! I'm not worth it!" Seto didn't look away from him, but he didn't say anything either, and after a moment Joey continued in desperation: "They're gonna use you to destroy my home! Don't let them do it! _Please, _Seto!"

"It's no use, _you highness_," Téa spoke up. She wasn't bleeding, but a swelling was starting to form at her forehead. She looked absolutely furious and directed a kick at Joey's ribs, making him gasp in pain. Seto jerked, as if he wanted to do something, but in the end he didn't. "Either way, the dragon _will _help us take over Domino. Whether you're dead or alive doesn't matter; your presence just makes it easier." She turned to look at Seto. "He seems to have developed quite a liking for you, if he's ready to be tamed for your sake." She sneered. "It's actually quite disgusting."

Joey and Seto both ignored her in favour of conversing silently with their eyes. Joey was begging the dragon not to do this, but Seto's eyes stayed cold and firm; he wouldn't, under any circumstances, be responsible for Joey's death.

"My lady!" Someone suddenly called urgently, and Seto and Joey looked away from each other in order to study the situation. One of the henchmen was pointing into the forest, where Seto could see dark figures running towards them with canes, pitch-forks and torches held high. "The villagers seem to be cooperating with the dragon too!"

"They're coming to _fight _us?" Keith asked, and couldn't completely hide the scorn in his voice. "I say we let them come!"

"We don't have time to play right now," Rebecca protested calmly and took a step towards the small mob which was moving towards them. As soon as they were close enough to see her face and hear her voice, she held up one hand, and smirked.

"Bad decision," the witch said calmly, tilted her head to the side and snapped her fingers.

A bomb seemed to go off behind them all, making the villagers stop in their tracks and look back over their shoulders. All they could do was watch helplessly as a huge pillar of fire seemed to rise from where the village was, painting the night-sky red.

Rebecca smiled evilly at the horror in the villagers' eyes.

"Well…" she said casually, as if this was all a tea-party. "_I'm _not gonna save your women and children."

And that was all it took.

Most of the men turned around completely and started running back, screaming the names of their wives, sisters, children and parents, and those who didn't turn back willingly were dragged among the others.

If the situation hadn't been so grave (and his hands hadn't been bound behind his back), Joey would have slapped himself in the face.

Rebecca smirked, and Téa and Keith burst out laughing, soon followed by all the other men.

"Amateurs," Rebecca remarked before turning back around towards Seto and Joey.

The sinking feeling in Joey's stomach immediately got a thousand times worse as her insane eyes fixed in him.

"Now the fun part begins."

**DAMN, that was a fast update, even if I do say so myself! I got my funk on this week! :3 Told you we'd get a confrontation soon! How do you guys like THAT?! XD (God, I'm so mean to my beloved YGO characters!) **

**YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! I'm so friggin' happy today! I've been walking on clouds since Tuesday! THAT'S RIGHT! WALKING! This Tuesday, I took my very first step without any crutches or caskets! After months of waiting and physiotherapy, I'm now up and running again (well… not running yet, but I'm getting there!) I didn't wanna say anything in the last chapter, because I wasn't completely sure if my medical gymnast would let me try walking, but now I'm freeeee! **

**God, it's been a good week! **

**Seriously, I've been free from school all week, I got my 1000 reviews (and more to that! XD) AND I turn seventeen on Saturday! Not to mention that we're going to Stockholm (capitol of Sweden; wonderful city) tomorrow and are going to celebrate me with my sister and her adorable boyfriend! **

**Yep, life is good. **

**Okay, now you know that! Enough about my life! How about the story! (Okay, so maybe the story is a part of my life, but it's more interesting to you than the rest…) what did you think about the chapter? There's will be some very intense chapters to come, and I'll try to update quickly. But for now, please tell me what you think! We're slowly reaching our climax! XD**

**Well, I've talked your ears off enough for one night! **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **

**Until next time!**

**R&R!!! **


	30. The Fall

Chapter twenty-nine: The Fall

Mokuba's eyes snapped open and he sat up in the empty, cold bed when a current of electricity shot up his spine. One moment he was slumbering contently, the next he was wide awake, _knowing_ without the question of a doubt, that something was wrong with Seto.

He scrambled out of bed and ran over to the window, looking out of it and trying to see what the hell was wrong. But sadly, he couldn't really see much. Whatever it was that had woken him up, it wasn't visible in the late night darkness, and sadly, his young dragon-vision wasn't at all as well-developed at his brother's.

And yet he knew that there was _something _wrong out there!

Spinning away from the window, the young dragon ran over to the door instead and threw it open, running out into the corridor and shouting frantically:

"Isis! Yami! Bakura!" he ran towards the closest bedroom: Isis'. "Guys, something terrible has happened.

In his desperate state, Mokuba completely forgot his manners and rushed straight into the healer's room, stopping in the door to take in the sight of Isis sitting up groggily in her bed, dressed in a simple night-gown. Mai was lying on a magically transformed bed beside hers, still sleeping.

"Mokuba?" Isis said softly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "What is wrong?"

"I…" Mokuba had to swallow before he continued, shakily; "I-I think something's happened to Seto. We need to get down to the village now and-"

Isis was at his side in a second, and it wasn't until she placed a calming hand on his muzzle that he realized that he was shaking like a leaf, and that tears were running down his cheeks.

"Calm down, little one," she cooed in that motherly voice she used when he was upset. Her eyes were strong and calm, and Mokuba forced himself to obey her. "Now… tell me once more what's happened."

"S-Seto… something must've happened to him. He… he went for a flight tonight… to clear his mind he said… and now I suddenly woke up and he still hasn't come back, and there's something inside me just screaming that something's happened and we have to find him!"

Isis frowned in worry for a moment. It was foolish of Seto to leave the cave, considering the ones searching for Joey were still out there. But was it really _dangerous_? Seto was a full-fledged dragon; he should be able to take care of himself! But if Mokuba's state of mind was anything to go by, something really _was wrong. _

_Better to be safe than sorry_, Isis thought and patted him on the muzzle again.

"Go wake the others, I'll take care of Mai and get dressed," she ordered him softly, and Mokuba nodded, looking at least a little calmer now, before slinking off towards Yami and Yugi's room, a few corridors down.

Five-ten minutes later everyone had gathered in the corridor outside Isis' room, some looking groggy (Marik), some grumpy (Bakura) and some just downright worried (everyone else). Mokuba quickly explained the whole situation to them while they made their way over to the entrance, but just as the young dragon was about to throw himself out of it and fly down to the village, Malik stopped him.

"Wait! Is it really a good idea that all of us go down there?" The others turned to look at him. "I mean, what if Mokuba's wrong, and there's nothing wrong with Seto? Then we will have revealed ourselves to complete strangers for nothing!"

"I'm not wrong!" Mokuba wailed, spreading and folding his wings impatiently.

"Calm down, master Mokuba; Malik has got a point," Isis said, and held up a hand to quiet Mokuba before he could protest again. "I'm not saying you are wrong, master Mokuba, I'm saying we should be cautious. Perhaps it's best if some of us went down first, to make sure everything is okay. Then we'll see what happens."

"Who should go down?" Yugi asked, and Mokuba immediately started bouncing.

"_Me_!" He squeaked. "Mememememememememememe!!!"

"Yeah right, 'cause it won't at all make people suspicious if a dragon shows up in the village. Especially since Joey was kidnapped by a dragon and everything," Bakura snorted.

"Maybe it's better if you stay here, Mokuba," Ryou told him softly with an apologetic smile. "We'll keep you updated, I promise."

Mokuba looked ready to cry again.

"Okay, so who goes?" Mai said, putting her hands together.

She never got an answer, because next thing they knew, a bomb seemed to go off outside the entrance, and as they all turned around to look, they could see fire rising towards the sky in unbelievably high flames.

For a moment no one moved.

Then everyone rushed over to the opening and looked down, wide eyed, at the village-turned-inferno.

"Oh dear gods," Isis gasped.

"_Grandpa_!" Yugi screamed.

Then everyone was moving again. Yami transformed and Yugi climbed onto him, Bakura scooped up Ryou; Marik did the same with Malik, and Mai grabbed Isis arm and activated an air-gliding spell.

Before any of them had even begun to do all this, Mokuba was already out the window and flapping his wings to get to the burning village as quickly as possible.

None of them knew about the drama unfolding in the forest _beside_ the village.

* * *

Joey was still lying on the cold ground, staring at the flames and smoke-pillars rising from the village. He could believe this… didn't _want _to believe this! It was like some kind of nightmare –no, scratch that; this was worse than all his nightmares together!

Glancing at Seto, Joey felt a wave of shame and sorrow wash over him at the look on the dragon's face. Seto was doing his best to keep his expression stony, but his eyes were dark, and his jaw tightly set. Joey had never seen him display this much emotion… at least not in a situation of danger. He always kept his cool, always seemed to be in control, no matter what.

He wasn't in control right now, and it was plain for anyone to see. And it made Joey's heart ache; after all, it was his fault that Seto was in this predicament at all.

"Now," Rebecca's voice was cheerful, filled with sunshine and homicide. She looked at all her men in order, her eyes sparkling. "I want all of you to gather around me, as close as you can get. Make sure to get the horses and as much of our cargo as you can."

"What are you gonna do?" Téa asked suspiciously, but Rebecca ignored her.

"Don't just stand there! Get moving!" She said with the same cheerful voice, and everyone immediately snapped into action. Téa looked angry, but before she could protest further, Keith grabbed her arm and dragged her over to help with the horses.

In no time at all, everyone was back with bags slung over their shoulders and reins held tight, since the horses were still a little worried on the presence of Seto. Before Joey knew it, he had been lifted onto his feet by two bulky men, and dragged over to stand beside Téa, who was standing to Rebecca's left. They were all placed right in front of Seto, facing him, and those who didn't fit were huddled as close as they could get, some even taking the chance of leaning on the bound dragon.

Seto's whole body twitched, as if he wanted to fry all of them on the spot, but he managed to control himself somehow. Joey met his gaze once more, and once again, he silently begged him to forget about Joey and just pull loose. He was strong enough; the only thing stopping him was that stupid collar around Joey's neck!

Seto just stared back at him with those dark eyes, before closing them and releasing a sigh which only Joey heard. The message was clear:

_I will not sacrifice you. _

Perhaps Joey should have felt flattered, but he didn't. He just felt… powerless, sad and frustrated. Didn't Seto _get_ that he wasn't _that_ important?!

"Try to keep the animals as still as you can. It's very important if this is gonna work," was the last thing Rebecca said before she closed her eyes and started making a long series of complicated hand-movements.

Before Joey knew what was happening, the ground had started to move beneath him. At first he thought he must have hit his head harder than he thought when Rebecca threw him at that tree, but then he noticed that Seto was squirming worriedly too, as well as the horses and some of the men.

They were all feeling it.

"What are you doing?" Téa asked nervously, but Rebecca didn't answer this time either.

A few more minutes of silence as her hands moved, and then she opened her eyes again. Everyone gaped when they saw that her whole eyes had become pitch black. She didn't seem to be aware of any of them anymore; as if she was in a trance, her hands kept making movements, and now the very air around them had started to tremble too.

And then she opened her mouth and let a single word slip passed her lips:

"_Movere_…"

And everything just seemed to explode.

To Joey, it felt like he was in the middle of a tornado; like a vice was pressing his head together and threatening to crush it. He didn't know where everyone else was; if they were still right beside him or if they had disappeared in the middle of all this. He wanted to scream, but the pressure prevented him from even opening his mouth. His mind, on the other hand, was screaming in panic, and he wondered if this was it… if he'd die like this… where Seto was…

And then it stopped, just as suddenly as it had begun, and Joey had ground beneath his feet and the sky above his head once more. The men grabbing his arms were back, as were all the thieves and criminals around them, Téa, Keith, the witch… and most importantly, Seto.

Joey looked at him in concern, and Seto answered the look with a small nod to show that he was okay. Joey tried to smile at him at the knowledge, but his face refused to cooperate. It was understandable, though; there really wasn't anything to smile about in their situation.

Suddenly the sun broke through at the horizon, making Joey blink in surprise. For the first time, he realized that the thick forest was gone, replaced by an open field and green hills around them. The sky –just turning pink in the morning-sun- was completely cloudless. A gentle breeze swept by, ruffling his hair. All of this could have been peaceful and beautiful if it wasn't for the fact that he was tied up, Seto was lying chained beside him, and they were surrounded by a band of criminals.

Still, this place felt… _familiar_ to Joey for some reason.

"What the hell _was_ that?!" Keith's voice broke through Joey's thoughts, making him look over at the other man. The traitor's eyes were wide, and he was starring at Rebecca in confusion. Rebecca, in turn, was sweating and panting, as if she'd just run a marathon.

"A transportation-spell," she told him between deep breaths. Her knees were shaking.

"Trans…" Téa interrupted herself. "To where?"

"Why don't you look for yourself and let me rest?" Rebecca snapped, separating herself from the crowd which was still gathered around her, to walk over and sit down on a small boulder close by. "You think it's easy to move all your fat asses that far?"

For a moment Keith, Téa and all their men just looked at her as she sat down and continued to take deep breaths. Then Téa and Keith both shrugged, and started ordering their men around. Keith took two of them and marched towards one of the hills, no doubt to get a better view of their surroundings. At the same time Téa started distributing orders to the ones who remained, telling them to put up tents, start a fire and watch the dragon.

Not the Seto needed watching; the chains were still firmly attached to the ground, and even if he could pull loose, he wouldn't because of Joey.

The two men holding Joey kept doing just that; they stood still like a pair of tree-trunks in the middle of the camp which was slowly growing around them, and Joey was kind of grateful for that; at least he was still standing close to Seto, and could see him, even of the dragon refused to look at him and stared stubbornly straight forward at nothing.

A sudden call from the top of the hill made everyone turn their heads towards Keith and the two other men. He waved down at them and yelled:

"It's Domino! She transported us back to just outside of Domino!"

Of course! Joey mentally slapped himself as he realized _why _this huge, open meadow seemed so familiar! How many times had he raced across it with Tristan, Duke and Serenity in his childhood? How many times had he almost lost control of his horse as he gave it free reins, allowing it to run as fast and as far as it wanted? How many times had their little gang slept out here at night, with nothing but a tent, a fire and the stars above their heads?

Suddenly he knew exactly what Keith had seen when he reached the top of the meadow. He himself had stood on the exact same spot hundreds of times before, admiring Domino's impressive form only a few hundred metres away. Domino had always been stationed in the middle of the field, on top of one of the largest hills. The open surroundings had given it the chance to grown and spread, and the city sure had taken the chance: today, it was the largest city any human knew of. Joey had often been proud of being its prince when he was a kid.

Now, the knowledge that they were so close to Domino only filled him with a sense of dread. Téa's words last night rang through his head:

_We will use you to take over a kingdom_.

This wasn't good.

Téa suddenly put her hands together in delight and smiled.

"This is great!" She exclaimed. "Finally we'll have the chance to…" Something seemed to dawn in her eyes, then she spun around and pointed accusingly at Rebecca, who was still sitting on the boulder, trying to regain her strength. "Wait a minute! You could _transport_ all of us with magic?! Then why didn't you do that when we were looking for the dragon?! That would have saved us so much time!"

Rebecca looked at her as if she was retarded.

"In order to use a transportation-spell and be completely sure it'll work, I have to know the object's exact position. I didn't know exactly where the sword was, but I do know where Domino is." She explained irritably and stuck her nose in the air. "Now shut up and let me rest."

Téa pouted at being told off like that, but then she turned around to her men and looked enthusiastic again.

"Well, no matter," she said with a shrug. "Either way, this is a great opportunity for a surprise-attack! You," she pointed to one of the men, "take one of the horses and get the rest of our men as fast as you can." He looked a little confused, and she explained impatiently; "you know; the ones who are waiting for us in that small village outside of Domino. We'll attack as soon as they get here this afternoon!"

"Oh no, we won't," Rebecca cut in, making Téa turn around and look at her. "Like I said, that transportation was anything but easy, and I'll need a good night's sleep before I'm ready for that attack."

Téa's expression became arrogant and scornful.

"Oh, I think we'll be able to do this without your help," she said nonchalantly, eyes burning with triumph. "Now that we've got the dragon, your help isn't really needed."

Rebecca smirked back amusedly.

"Oh really," she said softly. "I'm not needed? Well then, I suppose I can just release the dragon from that spell. Let's see how well you can control him without my magic."

Téa's face fell, and Rebecca folded her arms across her chest. Now it was her eyes which were burning triumphantly.

"We'll attack tomorrow," she decided. "Get the rest of your men here, but don't do anything more."

Téa looked pissed off again, but apparently she was starting to get it, because she turned her back to Rebecca and kept ordering the men around.

* * *

By the time night fell, the camp was done, and the rest of Téa's and Keith's thugs had arrived. Three tents had been put up; one for Rebecca, one for Téa and one for Keith. The rest of the men had to sleep on the ground, but they didn't seem to mind; the grass was soft, and the weather was nice, they'd had much worse than that.

Sometime during the day, Joey had been strapped to the same stone that Rebecca had been sitting on (she'd moved into the tent put up for her), and from there, he had perfect view of the whole camp, everyone in it, and Seto.

The dragon hadn't said anything all day. Every once and again, he'd glance over at Joey, but the expression in the blonde's eyes always made him look away again. Sometimes, he seemed to be deep in thought, as if he was thinking of some way to get the two of them out of this, and sometimes he just lay there with a dark look in his eyes; angry and frustrated.

The rest of the men had arrived around noon, and Joey became extremely worried when he realized just how many they were; Téa and Keith surely had been busy gathering such a large group of followers, because there looked to be at least a hundred people in the camp now. Many of them had acknowledged Joey during the day, mocking and teasing him relentlessly because of who he was. A few had even been bold enough to call him things like 'pretty boy' and stroke his hair and body seductively, and it had always made Joey pale and tremble in fear as his was bombarded with memories of Anubis.

Seto seemed to come to life at these small displays, growling, snapping and even releasing small fire-balls from his nostrils (pressed to the ground like he was, that was the only fire he could breathe). At first it had made the men take a frightened step back from Joey, but when they realized why Seto did it, they had started mocking and laughing at him too, and just touched Joey for the fun of it. Before anything serious could come from it though, Téa chased them away, claiming that the prince was _hers. _

All in all, the day had been a nightmare. And now when the sun had set, everyone was gathered around the fire in the camp to eat, while a few chosen men watched for intruders from the hills around them. The delicious smell of grilled meat filled the air, but Joey, who was otherwise known for his appetite, wasn't hungry at all. From the fire, all the thugs had a good view of him, and now and then they'd yell some comment at him between merry songs and loud conversations. The spirits where high; they had the dragon- now nothing could stop them.

"A toast!" Keith called a few hours into the party and raised a goblet filled with wine that the rest of the men had brought from the village where they had been hiding. "To a certain victory and the dawn of a new order tomorrow." He fixed his evil, slanted eyes on Joey and grinned. "Cheers, little prince!"

"Fuck you, worthless asshole!" Joey spat venomously, and the men laughed and taunted him.

"Is that an invitation, pretty boy?"

"Such a foul mouth! It's a good thing you won't be a prince for much longer!"

"A real spitfire, that little one. Lady Téa, I envy you!"

"You think me and my family will let you win so easily?!" Joey screamed at them, pulling on the bonds holding him pressed to the stone. "You hear and believe this; by the time I'm done with you, you'll all wish you'd killed me in my sleep. Domino will never be yours, and _that _is a fucking promise."

The heated words were meant for Keith and Téa, but the other men heard them too and laughed even more. Keith threw his head back and laughed with them, while Téa smirked at him.

"Now now, my prince," she said in a condescending tone. "Be fair; the rest of us have had to bend to your family's rules for so long. Most of these men have been in jail and received other harsh punishments, because of your grandfather and father. Now it's our turn to have some fun."

"Yeah!" One of them cut in. "Old Rabastan put me in jail for ten years! I never got the chance to see my baby-boy grow up."

"I had to work fifteen years in a fucking mine because of your father!" Another screamed.

"My uncle was executed because your grandpa ordered it, you spoilt brat!" A third revealed heatedly.

"You expect me to feel sorry for you?" Joey asked with a disgusted look on his face. "Not gonna happen; you just make me wanna puke! So you were put in jail, had to work, and lost a few relatives! Bo-fucking-hoo! You're a bunch of thieves, rapists and murderers. You probably deserved everything that happened to you, so before you blame my grandpa and dad, take a look at your own lives, and what the hell _you _did!"

Joey couldn't stop talking; he had been tied up, mocked and ridiculed all day, and he was finally getting some of it off his chest. He'd be damned of he let them walk all over him! So what if they had stopped laughing, and were glaring at him furiously?! He was right and he knew it!

Next, Joey turned his flashing eyes to Téa and Keith, who were glaring at him too.

"And as for you two, you're ten times worse that any of these morons! To think that grandpa ever allowed you back into the court! You are a couple of ungrateful, disgusting traitors, and before this is over, I'll make sure you get what you deserve!"

"Shut up!" Téa screamed suddenly. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! _Shut up!_ _SHUT UP_!"

Joey was slightly taken aback by this sudden and unexpected explosion, and so were everyone else in the camp. Even Seto had raised his eyes to look at the girl.

Before the whole group's gazes, Téa marched around the fire to stand in front of Joey.

"Get what we _deserve_?!" She screamed straight in his face. "What _we_ deserve?! Tell me, you worthless idiot, do you have any _idea _what my life is like?! What it's always been like?!"

She didn't wait for an answer, but just kept going like a runaway train.

"Do you know what it's like, being _hated _by everyone from the moment you're born?! To be told off and despised, just because you happen to be a certain person's heir?! When you and your sister were born, everyone was happy! They arranged huge feasts and congratulated your parents as if it was the greatest miracle through time! You were welcome and praised and loved! You know what happened when _I _was born?! _Do you_?!"

She took a quick breath before continuing:

"When _I_ was born, there wasn't a _single_ nurse in all of Domino who wanted to help my mother through it! They all refused to take her in, even when she was standing on their doorsteps with my father, in labour and pain! My mother died giving birth to me because _no one _helped her! She wasn't even part of the Quentin-linage; my father was! She was _punished_ because she had married him! Out of _love_! And even after her death, no one cared! Everyone was _disappointed _that Quentin's blood would live on for another generation! _Disappointed _that I had been _born_!"

"Téa," Keith said quietly, but she didn't hear him.

"No one wanted to play with me! No one wanted to talk to me! I was always alone as a child! As soon as I came close, mother's scooped up their children and ran off! My father told me why, but it didn't make it any better! He was completely crushed after my mother's death. Walked around like a living corpse, taking any job he could find, since no one wanted to hire Quentin's heir. And then, when I turned seven, he was murdered brutally by some guards! He never hurt anyone! He never did anything wrong! He was murdered because of his _blood_!" She had tears running down her face now. One landed on Joey as she shook her head. "So what if the murderers were punished?! That didn't take away years of scorn and pain and hatred!"

"Téa," Keith tried again, but she still didn't hear.

"When I was allowed into the court, I thought that maybe, I'd get a chance, but no, of course that didn't happen! I was just met with the same scorn! Once again I was shunned and hated, left alone and miserable, and no one cared! What did I ever do to deserve _that_, _prince Joey?!_ I've never stolen, murdered or deceived, so did I really deserve all of that?!"

"Téa!"

"What does it matter if I deserve it, when everybody does it anyway?! Why try to be a good person when everyone automatically knows you're a bad one?! I was so sick and tired of being treated like trash, and so I decided to do something about it! Never again will I let anyone push me down! Soon, I'll be the one in charge, and then no one will be able to hurt me like that again! Never _again_!"

"That's enough!" Keith barked. He had walked up behind his sister, and now he put an arm around her neck, effectively cutting off her rant. "You're embarrassing yourself!"

"But-"

"Shut up and go to bed!"

With tears streaming down her face, Téa stood there in his grip for a moment, shaking. Then she jerked away from him and took one last look at Joey, filled with fury, hate and pain, before she stormed off towards her tent, sobbing wildly and leaving a camp filled with shocked, silent men behind.

"The party is over," Keith said after a moment, and the look on his face didn't leave any room for arguing. Everyone silently slipped away to get their sleeping-bags, except two men which Keith had ordered to guard Seto and Joey.

Joey sat frozen in shock for hours afterwards.

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Keith said as he stepped into Rebecca's tent later that night, when everyone had gone to bed.

The witch was leaning over a small table in the middle of the tent, and on it laid four arrows, all of them with a yellow-glowing point. As Keith stepped in, she raised her head to look at him, and waved her hands a few times to make the yellow glow around her fingers disappear.

"Yes, I did," she admitted and he sat down in one of the two chairs in front of the table. "The other night… you showed great talent when you shot the dragon."

He couldn't hide a small, smug grin, and leaned back in his seat comfortably.

"Told you I wouldn't miss."

"You did. …Either way, I have a new assignment for you; one that will require your sharp shooting-skills once more." She picked up one of the arrows with the strangely glowing arrowhead, and held it out to him. "These arrows have been cursed by me. They will kill anything or anyone, no matter what body-part they happen to hit. Leg, stomach, heart… it doesn't matter. They _will _do their job." Her face was dead-serious as she continued: "if it comes to that… if the dragon somehow manages to get away from us… I want you to shoot him. Trust me; these arrows will penetrate even the thickest of scales: my kind often used this kind of weapon in the war against the dragons."

Keith took it from her and studied it closely for a moment before looking back at her.

"Why is this necessary?" He asked, just as serious. Rebecca seemed to think for a moment; seemed to plan exactly what she was going to say.

"Last night that dragon did something I thought to be impossible," she admitted at last. "He almost pulled loose from my enchanted chains. I've captured and killed hundreds of dragons in my life… and none of them have ever been strong enough to break free once I've got them bound. Yet this one would have accomplished just that, if it hadn't been for your quick thinking."

Keith's expression was smug once more, but Rebecca ignored it as she continued:

"I've never come across a dragon like this one. He is incredibly strong, and I don't like it. Therefore, this is a plan B if something unforeseen should happen. Do you understand?"

Keith nodded, and Rebecca took a quiverand put the three other arrows in it.

"You have four chances," she told him as she handed it to him. "Don't disappoint me this time either."

"I won't," Keith answered, just as he had done the other night.

Their eyes met for a short moment longer, and then he turned to leave.

"Keith?" Rebecca said, and he turned around to face her again. "Those things your sister said out there tonight… were they true?"

He released a short laugh. It didn't hold any mirth, only bitterness and malice.

"She's always been an oversensitive little twit," he said scornfully.

Rebecca nodded; she'd gotten her answer. Keith silently left the tent.

* * *

The next morning, the weather was just as clear and beautiful as the day before. Adhara stood in her husband's favourite library, looking out of the large window at the sun, which was already up and shining. She sighed softly and took another sip of her bitter tea; it was the only thing she had had for breakfast in weeks; her appetite wasn't what it used to be.

"You're thinking too hard," a warm voice said from behind her. "I know it from the way you hold yourself."

Rabastan stepped up beside her, and Adhara smiled at the only man she had ever been able to call a father. Growing up with her mother, she'd never known who the man who sired her was. She and her mother had been called quite a few names for it, since the village they lived in was both small and old-fashioned. That's why she left as soon as her mother died when she was fifteen. She'd come to the capitol Domino, gotten job as a maid in the kitchen, met the prince and fallen in love. It really was like a fairytale.

The thought still made Adhara smile, even as it filled her with longing for the man (boy, really) who had taken one good look at her, bowed and asked her to marry him. The first time they met! She'd said no, of course. It wasn't until two years and six proposals later that she actually said yes.

Best decision of her life.

"Stop thinking," Rabastan advised her. "Andreas always hated it when you drifted of into your own world. He said it was unfair, because he couldn't follow you there."

She laughed softly and turned to look at him with sad eyes.

"I miss him terribly, father," she admitted, and the king put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "I miss both of them."

"I know," he said, and that was it. He couldn't offer her any more consolation than that. "I know. Me too."

At the same time, on the other side of the hills, the men were up early, sharpening their swords, taking care of the horses and eating a heavy breakfast. Keith, Rebecca and even Téa (looking tired and worn, but still determined) stood bent over a map of Domino in the witch's tent, planning the attack. There was a tense, anticipating feeling in the air, making hands shake and horses trample worriedly. It was as if everyone were getting ready for war.

As if they were getting ready for the taking of Domino.

When they were all ready to leave, Joey was released from the stone, and instead a heavy chain was wrapped around his wrists; Keith was holding the other end of it and dragged him along like a slave. Seto had a chain around his neck like a leash, and one around each front-leg, and they were strapped to the saddle of Rebecca's horse. He followed behind her like a dog on a leash as she rode up the hill to gaze down on Domino, the dragon's body tense and his eyes almost black with fury.

Once the whole band stood on top of the hill, Joey laid eyes on his home for the first time in months. Maybe he should have felt happy, or at least relieved, but he didn't. He just felt fear.

Rebecca made a gesture with her hand, and the leash holding Seto glowed and disappeared, so that only the chains around his neck and front-legs were left. For a tense moment it looked like Seto was free, but then Keith handed Rebecca Joey's bonds and she pulled him over to stand beside her horse. Her eyes met Seto's.

"Now, you have a choice," she told him as if she was talking to a small child. "Either you attack that city and do your best to destroy it… or I destroy this boy."

"Seto, don't," Joey told him, and then Rebecca snapped her fingers and the collar around his neck constricted for a few painful seconds.

"He acts so heroic, but I really don't think he wants to die," Rebecca said casually as she watched Joey choke and claw at the collar with his bound hands. She looked up at Seto again. "Do you?"

Seto clenched his jaw, and without uttering a word, he spread his wings and took flight, heading straight for Domino.

The moment he was in the air, Rebecca smirked and released Joey from the chokehold. Joey, in turn, quickly tried to run after Seto, desperate to stop him from doing this. But the chains around his hands soon stopped him as Rebecca held him back.

"Seto!" He screamed, hoping against hope that the dragon would change his mind by just hearing his voice. "_SETO!_"

"It's no use," Rebecca told him calmly, still with the smirk in place. "Apparently, he will do anything for you…. It's quite disgusting, really."

Joey didn't hear her. He watched in disbelief and dread as Seto's larger shape got closer and closer to his hometown. He didn't want to watch this, but at the same time, he couldn't look away….

Seto had his eyes completely fixed on the city wall, and the largest gate into Domino, which was right in front of him. He'd have to give the witch and her men a free passage, and what better place to enter that through the gate itself?

Seto was disgusted by how easily he could plan this whole thing, when he _knew _full well that Joey was standing behind him, screaming at him and pleading for him not to do this. But there really wasn't anything else to do. He couldn't let them kill Joey… The boy meant so much to him; this city didn't.

He only hoped that Joey would be able to forgive him one day.

The two soldiers standing on guard on top of the huge gateway were caught up in an interesting discussion. They were facing the city, carefully studying the streets beneath the wall in search of any problems; it was, after all, far more normal for them to encounter trouble inside the walls than outside of them.

But this day, they suddenly interrupted their conversation and turned around, instinct telling them that they should look behind them.

The sight which greeted the two made them pale and drop their spears.

A huge white dragon was coming straight at them, scales, claws and teeth flashing in the sun as it opened its mouth and roared, while the eyes burned almost completely black.

It was the older, more experienced of the two guards which snapped out of it first. With a speed he shouldn't have been able to muster in his heavy armour, he dove left, throwing himself at the large bell standing in top of the gateway with them. It was the bell which should only be used when the city was under attack; it hadn't rung in over three hundred years.

He managed to pull the long, thick rope once, only once, before Seto crashed into the wall, making stone-blocks fly everywhere. The two guards were thrown off and landed on a house-roof close to the wall, and the large bell toppled over the edge and hit the ground below with a deafening '_clang_'.

After that, panic erupted in the city. People screamed and ran away from the wall and terrifying dragon. Some poked their heads out of their windows to look what the hell was going on, and then quickly pulled them back in again when they saw Seto. Parents ran around, desperately looking for their children, which had been playing happily on the streets only moments earlier. Soldiers came running from other outposts around the city, but they were pushed back by the force of the crowd running away from the sight.

Seto sighed and steeled himself mentally, before he threw his head back and roared, long and frighteningly. The wall cracked beneath his weight, and then it gave in, collapsing like a house made of Lego. Seto quickly jumped over to the roof of a nearby building, which also cracked and almost gave in on him. A swoop of his paw created a large hole in the roof next to the one he was sitting on, and his tail did the same to one behind him.

As he went, Seto forced himself to ignore the screams of pain and fear, the cracks and booms as whole houses were crushed, and the desperate wails of his own conscience (which sounded strangely like Joey). Instead, he repeated over and over in his mind:

_It's for Joey. _

_It's for Joey. _

_It's for Joey. _

From the hills a few hundred metres behind him, the band of thieves watched this with smug triumph. Joey watched too, but his eyes were burning from tears which he refused to shed. He was praying that this was only a nightmare. He wished that this could be undone in some way. Heck, he'd gladly give himself to _Anubis_, if it meant this would be undone! He'd do anything… anything…

"Come on," Keith said, grinning, and spurred his horse to walk down the hill and towards the city. "Let's take a closer look at out victory!"

The men cheered and followed him. One of them lifted a limp, shocked Joey into the saddle in front of him and then let his horse gallop towards the ruins of the Domino city wall.

Seto had come quite far on his quest of ruin now. He'd reached a market-place full of people and carts. A quick fire-breath and it was all covered in hot, devastating flames which spread quickly. Even more screams and cries followed, but Seto ruthlessly ignored them and pushed on, through streets and houses. He tried to avoid hurting people, but still left a couple of injured in his wake. And yet he continued, clinging to his mantra of _It's for Joey._

The small army had reached the city walls in no time at all. The gateway lay ruined in front of them, and it was easy to get into the city now, as long as they avoided the larger stones lying in their way. Because of the uneven terrain, the riders had to slow down to a trod, and Joey was put back on the ground, where he had to jog to keep up with Rebecca's horse unless he wanted to be dragged along on the ground.

Still, he had enough time to watch the city as they passed. His heart ached and his soul screamed in denial. Buildings he had known as a child were completely destroyed, injured people lying here and there, crying and screaming for help. The Miller was lying in the middle of the street; unconscious and bleeding from an open wound in the head. Joey had often played with his son as a child. The thought made him want to puke.

A few streets down from that, they came upon the royal florist's twins; a boy and a girl, only ten years old and sitting huddled up together in an alley, dirty, shaking and crying. Joey stumbled and almost fell to his knees at that, but one of the men reached down, grabbed one of his arms and kept him on his feet.

Seto's path of destruction had taken him to the very heart of Domino now. He was standing in front of the wall which surrounded the royal castle, and a whole bunch of soldiers had gathered in front of the entrance with swords drawn and shield held high. They were obviously ready to defend the castle to the very last man.

Seto released a wave of fire which hit their shields with such power and heat that the iron melted instantly and the soldiers were thrown backwards and scattered. With a leap Seto had landed on the wall, and since it was nowhere near as big and strong as the city-wall, it collapsed immediately beneath him.

It was about here that Rebecca and the others caught up with him. Seto stepped aside, fixing the blond little girl with a look which could have frozen the centre of the earth. She just smirked up at him.

"Not bad for a brain-dead creature," she remarked, before allowingher horse to pass him.

As Joey followed her passed him, he looked up at Seto with wide, injured eyes. The dragon didn't look away this time, even though he wanted to. It hurt so much to see the blond in pain, but he was the one who had put that look in his beautiful amber eyes; he'd take the punishment as punishment was due. After only a moment, Joey closed his eyes and turned his face away. His shoulders were shaking violently.

"Dragon, your work isn't done yet," Rebecca called over her shoulder, and Seto pushed down a wave of fury and pride before flying over the wall and towards the castle.

Inside the castle, people of all classes -servants, lords, maids, soldiers, ladies, doctors, construction-workers and academics- were running around in the ball-room like a bunch of headless chickens when Adhara and Rabastan got there. For a moment everything was a blur of colourful clothes, familiar faces and frightened voices, then Rabastan immediately took control of the situation.

"What the hell is going on?!" The king barked and grabbed Duke as the boy ran passed him. "Duke, it can't be true that a dragon-"

"It is, your highness!" Duke interrupted; emerald eyes wide and frightened. "It's the same one that took Joey! It's come back for more, and has destroyed the city completely! It's standing on our doorstep. I-"

He was interrupted as Tristan suddenly appeared beside the king and grabbed his arm.

"Your highness," he said determinedly, looking like the captain he was, "we have to get you and the queen out of here!"

"Serenity!" Adhara called and looked around desperately. "Where is my daughter?!"

Before anyone had the chance to answer, the west wall in the castle, the one which had just been repaired, collapsed, and they all got a strange sense of Déjà vu as a white dragon feel through the opening, roaring and swiping out with dangerous paws around itself.

The panic intensified considerably, and people started running towards the doors, but were stopped as ragged thugs welled into the ballroom with swords drawn, cutting down anyone who resisted them. Their laughter and mocking calls to each other mixed with the desperate screams of their prisoners, and they hoarded the people towards the thrones opposite the wall through which Seto had just crashed.

Rebecca, Keith and Téa rode into the room with heads held high, dragging Joey behind them.

"Alright, people," Keith called, grinning. "Stay calm, and no one will get hurt." He ignored the people who were already lying dead on the floor.

Rabastan, who had somehow gotten his hands on a sword and were fighting the bandits alongside Tristan and some other soldiers, made short work of his current enemy before looking up and catching sight of Keith and Téa.

"What in the…" he didn't get any further before he realized just what this was all about. "You _TRAITORS_!" He roared and advanced on them, but came to a screeching halt when a young woman's voice rose above all the other screams.

"_JOEY_!" Serenity stared at her brother from the crows of people, her eyes holding happiness, disbelief and fear at the same time.

At the sound of her scream, everything seemed to halt. Soldiers and bandits stopped fighting, the crown stopped screaming, and Serenity pushed her way to the front of the mass of people, where she could see Joey, and he could see her, clearly.

"Serenity," he whispered softly, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Joey," Adhara choked out from the middle of the crowd. Rabastan actually dropped his sword.

"_How_?" It was Tristan who spoke, and his confusion was mirrored in every single face in the crowd.

Keith grinned even wider and took the chains from Rebecca's saddle, pulling Joey forward so everyone could see him.

"A miracle," he stated simply.

**I was listening to "The Plagues" from Prince of Egypt while writing this. God, it put me in the mood for some destruction! B) **

**Seriously, that song is incredible. ALL the music from Prince of Egypt is incredible. If you haven't seen the movie already, I can highly recommend it, if only for the music. **

**I do wonder what my readers will think of this chapter. Really do wonder. I'm quite pleased with it myself, but there are some twists that you might not have been expecting. *cough*Téa's rant*cough* I'd love it if you sent me a review and told me what you think about it. And of course… how did I do on Seto's attack? I really wanna know, so please tell me!**

**Last but not least, I just wanna say; I HATE THE NEW REVIEW-LAYOUT!!! WHY THE HELL DO THEY HAVE TO CHANGE EVERYTHING?! I CAN'T FIND MY WAY AROUND MY OWN ACCOUNT ANYMORE!!! STOP IT, FANFICTIONNET, BEFORE I GO INSANE! DX DX DX DX **

**Okay, until next time!**

**R&R!!! **


	31. The Traitor

Chapter thirty: The traitor

"Okay," Keith said casually, pulling lightly on Joey's bonds. "Unless you all wanna end up like burned corpses thanks to our dragon here, you'll stay put. Oh, and drop the weapons."

Everything was completely still in the ball-room. The only sounds which could be heard were those of Seto's and the terrified crowd's breathing. Rabastan's gaze flew through the room at the speed of lightning, and Joey could practically see the wheels turning in his head. The well-experienced eyes fixed on him, then on Keith, Téa and Rebecca, then on Seto, and then on the cluster of people behind him. A moment's hesitation, and then his sword clattered to the ground, soon followed by all the other soldiers', including Tristan's.

Joey felt like his hope was thrown to the floor with the weapons, and Seto sighed softly in defeat and looked at the floor.

"Smart move," Keith said, with a grin, and signalled his own men.

They moved towards the people, grabbing them and dragging them out of the ball-room violently. The only ones who weren't taken away were Rabastan, Adhara, Serenity, Tristan and Duke (the last two only because they refused to move) who were all grabbed and held fast by the remaining criminals.

"Well, isn't this remarkable," Keith said and kept his gaze locked on Rabastan. "Looks like you're our prisoner, your highness."

"Traitors," Rabastan spat at him.

"I don't believe we ever swore to be loyal to you," Téa spoke up for the first time that day. Up until this moment, she'd just been sitting on her horse silently, brooding. Now she looked at Rabastan with hate and bitterness in her eyes. "You're just getting what you deserve, anyway."

"Joey," Serenity spoke up suddenly, and when their eyes locked, Joey could barely hold back tears again. Whether it was tears of happiness or sorrow he didn't know; all he knew was that he'd missed her so, so much, and now she was here. He could see tears glimmering in her eyes too, and at that moment, it was as if they knew exactly what the other was thinking. "Joey, are you alright?"

"Don't worry about him, love," Keith purred at her and yanked at the chains around Joey's hands. "I've taken good care of him. And believe me, when I become king, I'll take good care of you too."

Serenity paled at the same time as a disgusted expression covered her face. Adhara, Rabastan and Tristan's eyes darkened in rage, and Joey spun around to yell at him:

"If you touch my sister I'll fucking kill you, you disgusting piece of crap!"

"You be quiet, dragon-lover!" Keith snapped back and slapped him hard across the face. Joey rolled with the blow, just like his mentor had taught him, but Keith was strong and it still hurt like hell. He couldn't stop a hiss of pain from slipping passed his lips.

The reactions to this were immediate. Joey's whole family flinched and jerked at their restraints, and Seto roared and made a move to attack Keith. But before he got the chance, Rebecca's eyes flashed, and Joey started to choke and claw at the collar around his neck again. Seto stilled, and she smirked. Duke, Serenity and Adhara noticed this, and shock filled their eyes as they all came to the same conclusion:

_That little girl was controlling the dragon by using Joey! _

"What do you traitors want, anyway?!" Tristan asked after a moment, directing everyone's attention back to Keith and Téa.

"What's with the stupid questions?" Keith said, his grin gone now as he glanced down at Joey with angry eyes. "We're here to take over Domino, of course!"

"I can assure you that that will never happen," Rabastan said coldly.

"Oh, do you?" Téa said with a raised eyebrow and the same hate in her gaze. "In case your eyes are failing you, old man; _we _have a dragon and a whole bunch of men at our beck and call. Not to mention you, your family and many members of the court as hostage. What exactly is going to stop us?"

"The fact that you're a bunch of idiots who don't know a single thing about ruling a country!" Tristan snapped. "The people will never allow this!"

"The people won't have a choice," Tea answered coldly and shot the two men holding the knight a look.

They nodded, grinned, and then one of them punched Tristan ruthlessly in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Joey instinctively tried to pull free from his chains as Tristan sunk to his knees and bend in half, wheezing and coughing to get air into his lungs. Anger welled up inside the blond, and at that moment he wished more than anything that he'd had his sword. But he didn't; Keith had it and its twin (Joey had no idea how they had gotten hold of that one) strapped to his waist.

So Joey could only watch in horror as the criminal once again raised his fist, this time to deliver a hit straight to the back of Tristan's head.

"Don't hurt him!" Duke called suddenly; his voice a little distressed but his body completely relaxed. "I want him in one piece, thank you!"

Joey, Tristan, Serenity, Adhara, and Rabastan froze in shock and turned to look at him. Seto looked at him too, but his clever brain had already figured out what was going on here. While his eyes were cold and almost hateful, all the others just looked confused.

_What?! _

"Ah, I almost forgot!" Téa exclaimed and put her hand together. "Men, release the good lord!"

The two men holding Duke looked confused, but did as they were told. He stood there, in the middle of the ball-room, looking hesitant for a moment before he squared his shoulders and straightened his clothes. Téa shot Rabastan a triumphant glare before turning to him.

"Don't you think it's time you tell them the truth, _Raven_," she said with a small smirk. "After all; you _have _been working with us for quite some time now."

Joey felt something inside him freeze over and die, and he wanted to scream in denial as Duke nodded and walked over to stand beside Téa. He turned to look at all of them in turn, emerald eye sparkling with cold pride.

"It's true," he stated and folded his arms across his chest, striking a nonchalant pose. "I've been reporting to Téa and Keith for months now, as well as providing them with money to pay their men."

"And it has been very appreciated," Téa said with another small smirk, this time directed at the dark-haired male. "How do you like our entrance, my lord?"

"Very… dramatic…" Duke told her and turned to look at Seto. But he quickly looked away again as his gaze met the cold blizzards that were Seto's eyes. "Since you never told me exactly what the plan was… I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. This is a bit over the top, maybe, but I can't deny that it's effective."

"I'm glad you think so," Téa said.

"Duke, please say it's not true," Serenity whispered suddenly, and the tears Joey had seen in her eyes earlier finally slid down her cheeks.

"You want me to lie, Serenity?" Duke answered with a question, raising his eyebrows at her. Something akin to contempt seemed to fill his eyes as he looked at her. "You're not that naïve, kid."

She closed her eyes and turned her face away then, the pain in her heart obvious. Joey knew exactly how she felt at that moment; he didn't know which heart he wanted to rip out; his own or Duke's. Anything that could take the pain of betrayal away would be fine, but as it was, he could do nothing but stand silently and watch this all unfold.

A sudden though struck Joey, and he tore his eyes from the dark-haired demon he had always called a friend, and fixed his eyes on Tristan.

There were no words for how the knight looked at that moment. Every negative feeling a human being can feel seemed to race through him. He looked so shocked, confused, disbelieving, betrayed, sad, angry, hysterical and broken that it was all Joey could do not to tear himself away from the bonds holding him, run over and embrace his brother in everything but blood. He had missed his family, and oh god, he had wanted to see them again, but to come back to this…

It made Joey wish that Seto had kept him locked away for the rest of eternity.

"This has been going on for far too long already. I'm tired, and want to rest. Take the prisoners away," Téa ordered her men casually. "Put the queen and king in separate isolations…" she shot the two mentioned a cruel smirk, "Where they can wait for their _execution_ tomorrow. Take the others to the prison, and make sure they stay there. Except the prince; he comes with me."

Serenity had paled considerably as the word "execution" slipped passed Téa's lips, and Joey himself felt a wave of cold dread wash over him. Seto's eyes narrowed when he noticed Joey's reaction, and Adhara and Rabastan themselves stayed silent; a grim expression on their faces. Duke didn't move a single muscle –in his face or otherwise- and Tristan… Tristan didn't look like he had heard a single word Téa just said.

It wasn't until the two men on either side of him grabbed his arms that Tristan snapped out of his own little hell. One moment his body was dangling listlessly, the next it was struggling to pull free from the men's hold; doing everything in his power to reach Duke.

"Why?!" He screamed in disbelief and fixed his eyes on those green orbs he loved so much. "By the gods, Duke, _WHY?!_"

Every movement in the hall paused, and all eyes fixed on Duke, curious to see his reaction to this sudden question. Something seemed to flicker in the young lord's beautiful eyes for a moment, and then he threw his hair over his shoulder in a suave way and stood up straighter.

"It's all about who has the power, Tris," he said casually. "Besides, it's nothing personal. They'll just make me rich." He laughed. "Well, rich_er_ anyway." This time, Téa's laughter joined in with his own, but they were sounds of greed and bitterness. Joey couldn't detect an ounce of happiness in it.

"You…" Tristan stared at Duke in complete shock, and then all other emotions just disappeared from his face, making way for the darkest, most hateful look anyone had ever seen on the young man's face. Even Joey flinched a little. "You miserable, greedy, selfish little _shit_! I can't believe I never knew this about you! I will _kill_ you!" Tristan was outright howling now. "I will kill you for this, Duke! Everything you were to me is dead! Don't ever try to get near me again, because I will damn well strangle you! I will never forgive you! _Never!_"

Duke simply stared at him with a blank look, and then shrugged casually and told him cheerfully:

"Well, then I'll just have to tie you to my bed, don't I, Tris? …Actually, I kind of like that idea!"

A single glance at the men, and they started hauling Tristan backwards, out of the ball-room, Serenity following close behind with a crushed expression on her face. Tristan fought his captors while he stared at Duke; his eyes begging the other boy. Begging him to show a single flicker of remorse or pain. A single small sign that the old Duke was still in there.

But the young lord didn't answer his pleads. His eyes met Tristan's without blinking, without caring, and the truth suddenly became too much for Tristan to bear. He slumped over, once again lost in his own pain, and it occurred to Joey that this must be so much worse than losing your beloved to death. When the other died, you at least _knew_ he or she had existed and been the one you loved. But either of them knew Duke anymore… it was almost as if he had only been an illusion, and Joey couldn't imagine how bad that must hurt Tristan. Hell, he himself was falling apart inside from this betrayal, and he wasn't even _in love _with Duke!

Tristan wasn't fighting anymore. As a matter of fact, he wasn't doing anything; he looked almost dead as they dragged him out of there with his feet dragging behind him. Serenity's whole body was shaking badly, and Joey wanted to scream and cry and fight and kill… but couldn't. He could only pray that his two beloved siblings (because that's what Serenity and Tristan were to him) were put in a cell together, so they at least had each other.

Rabastan and Adhara were just about to be taken away as well, but as the men holding Adhara passed Téa, Keith and Rebecca, the queen stopped and turned to look at first Joey ("_I love you. I'm glad you're safe. Everything will be okay_," her eyes seemed to say, and Joey wished he could have believed her) then Téa and Keith.

"I don't care how many advantages you think you have," she said calmly. "One way or another, you will be stopped. Domino will never be your, no matter what happens. So think this over very closely, children. Is it worth risking your lives for this?"

"You talk much for a prisoner who has just been sentenced to death," Téa sneered. "Just so you know, _queen_, your and the king's execution has been planned to take place tomorrow afternoon. Don't be late for it."

And then she nodded, and the men started to drag the queen away. For the briefest of moments, not even a second, Adhara's gaze slid to Rebecca, sitting silently on her horse beside Téa. For less than a second, their eyes met, and Rebecca's suddenly widened in recognition. Adhara quickly looked away, and allowed the men to drag her away.

As soon as she was gone, Téa punched the air and gave a yell of triumph.

"We did it!" She screamed happily. "We finally did it! Domino is ours! We did it!"

Joey and Seto exchanged a look as she started to make a small dance in the saddle, making her horse stomp nervously.

"Congratulations, my lady," Duke said and bowed to her. He carefully avoided Joey's dark glares. "Or should I say… _my queen_?"

"Is that really the behaviour of a queen?" Rebecca asked mockingly, and Téa immediately stilled.

"I'm going to ignore your comments, since this is my big day," Téa said and slid out of the saddle. She turned to one of the few men still in the room. "I really am tired, so I think I'll go change the sheets in the queen's bed, then take a nap in it." A small grin spread over her face at the thought. "But first I'll show you where to put our dear ex-prince here."

"And after that, you can raid Domino and make sure everyone knows who's in charge now," Keith continued. "Before nightfall, I want every single person in this city to be under our control. If they resist, feel free to use violence."

"Yes, lady Téa and Lord Keith," the men chorused.

"Please, call me 'your highness'," Téa said. Rebecca rolled her eyes, Keith sighed and Joey felt like he'd be sick.

He looked up at Seto, trying to find some comfort in his large, secure presence, but all he could see were the chains around Seto's neck and front-legs. Joey felt remorse and self-loathing well up inside himself at the sight.

Sure, Seto had been the one to destroy Domino, but Joey was the one who was responsible for all this. Everything that had happened from the day he met Seto up until now was his fault! If only he hadn't let Mokuba out of the cage… if only he hadn't struck that deal about trust with Seto… if only he hadn't fallen in love with the dragon… if only he hadn't forgotten his family… if only he'd gone home earlier… if only he hadn't been so stupid as to trust Téa… if only he had been stronger…

But it was too late for that now. Joey had made mistake after mistake after mistake, and it all led up to this day. Now Seto was used like a puppet, his own mom and grandpa would be murdered, his sister and brother would end up like slaves for Keith and Duke, and all of Domino was doomed.

All because of him.

And no matter what Seto's eyes told him right now… no matter what those blue orbs he'd fallen in love with were screaming at him… that was true.

Next thing Joey knew, he was being dragged out of the room by the guards. He protested and tried to twist in their grip, craning his neck to look over his shoulder at Seto. The dragon looked about as happy as he did at being left alone, and when the ball-room doors slammed shut, he couldn't help but feel like he'd left a very important part of himself with a pack of hungry wolves.

* * *

Adhara had been sitting in a cold, quiet prison-cell for many hours when the three men came to get her. They didn't tie her up, but they did blindfold her and keep a firm grip on her arms as they led her out of the cell, up the stairs which led away from the prison and through a bunch of corridors. Once they stopped, Adhara had no clue where they were anymore, even though she'd been living in this castle for many years and knew practically every inch of it.

She heard a door creak, and the men pushed her into a room, then the door slammed shut and the lock clicked. Adhara quickly spun around, pulled the blindfold off and started to examine the door; in her youth, she'd been very good a lock-picking, and she was pretty sure she'd be able to do it still, even if the light in the room was a little dim. She'd just have to find a…

"'_At the dawn of time, witches had the ability to give life,_'" a voice suddenly spoke up from behind her in soft, melodious tones, and Adhara froze. "'_Then they discovered the joy in taking one… and they fell from grace_.'"

Slowly Adhara turned around again and wasn't the least bit surprised at the sight that met her.

The small blond girl –the witch- was sitting by a round table, playing with some kind of cup and a small pile of dices. Adhara didn't speak, and as expected, the girl's gaze raised to meet hers. A strange smile spread on her lips.

"Of all the places, I never thought I'd meet a sister here," the silken voice said, and Adhara suppressed a shiver.

"I'm not your sister," she answered, voice and gaze steady.

"You are what you are, not matter how much you want to deny it," Rebecca said with a tone of finality, not taking her gaze of the queen for a second. "Come sit down and let me tell you your future. We have so much to talk about."

Adhara quite liked the distance between them and would like to keep it, but it was as if small, invisible threads wrapped around her at the witch's words, and she _had to_ walk closer. There was a chair standing in front of the table, and Adhara was forced down on it. Still, Rebecca watched her closely, smiling.

"Now… let's take a look…" she gathered all of the dices (made from bones and with strange symbols on them, Adhara noticed) in the cup, shook it for a moment while her eyes flashed black, and then she let them all tumble onto the table.

"Hm…" Rebecca said, studying them closely for a moment. Then she looked up with an amused smirk.

"You will die tomorrow," she revealed softly, as if they were talking about the weather. "What a surprise."

Adhara said nothing. Rebecca studied her for a moment, and smiled.

"You're not afraid of death," she said. It wasn't a question. "Not you own, at least…. Such a brave young woman. You would have been remarkable in the mistress's service."

"I would have been insane in her service," Adhara answered, realizing that there was no point in keeping up the charade; this girl knew what she was.

Rebecca's eyes flashed in fury, but she quickly suppressed it. The smile came back.

"So you are one of the traitors, then," she stated and leaned back in the chair. "Or rather… a spawn of a traitor. You're still very young…. Was it you mother who ran away and betrayed all her sisters?"

"My grandmother," Adhara answered, meeting her gaze. "And she did the only right thing."

Before anyone could blink, Rebecca was leaning over the table with both her hands placed firmly on it, glaring into Adhara's eyes.

"She turned her back on everything we believe in," she hissed with such hate it was a wonder Adhara didn't drop dead on the spot. "She broke the queen's heart, and if I ever come across her again, I'll peel the flesh of her bones and _burn_ it right in front of her before I stick her eyes out and eat them raw."

Then she just kind of fell back into her chair again, looking as calm as ever. Adhara sat stock still, but she didn't look the least bit intimidated.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked after a moment. "Just to confirm what you already knew?"

Just like that, a large smile spread on Rebecca's face again. What homicidal fit?

"Is it so wrong that I wanted to spend some time with one of my own? Even if it is the heir of a traitor."

It wasn't until many hours, many questions and many insane attacks later that Adhara was brought back to her cell. She stayed completely calm and collected through all the corridors, down the stairs, and into her cell.

The moment the iron-door slammed shut, she sunk to the floor on her knees, gasping for breath and sobbing violently. Her whole body shook, not from fear, but from relief and gratitude.

Because the moment Adhara had stepped into that room, she'd been completely certain that she'd die in there.

* * *

"Okay Blondie, time for food," the door opened and one of the two guards stood in the opening. He looked bored and disgruntled at the same time, and he held a plate with some food in his hands.

When no answer came to his statement and no one moved inside the door, the man blinked in surprise. He took a few cautious steps into the room and let his gaze scan it carefully. The chandelier burnt just as merrily as it had when they lit it a few hours earlier, and everything looked exactly the same. Outside the window, dark clouds were coming in from the west: it'd probably rain tonight. There was only one thing which was different.

No Joey.

"_Shit_!" The man swore, attracting the attention of his companion, who stuck his head into the room. "Blondie's gone!"

"What do you mean, 'he's gone'?!" The companion snapped and stepped into the room alongside the other, seeing just how empty of blond princes it was. "Fuck! Lady Téa'll never pay us now!"

"What we gonna do?" The first one wondered.

Before the two of them could put their small, badly functioning brains to work, someone slipped out from behind the door and delivered a swift kick to first one's head, then the other's.

The two of them went down like trees. Big, bulky, extremely stupid trees.

"Oldest trick in the book, guys," Joey told their unconscious forms with a shake of his head before bending down to snatch the keys from one of them. He backed out of the room, closed and locked the door carefully, then tore off down the corridor like a hunted man.

Téa had picked the room for his imprisonment well. Joey didn't know why she'd found it necessary to put him in a room instead of a prison-cell, but he had more important things to worry about right now. She had chosen a room on the top floor of the castle (and the castle had six floors) making it impossible for Joey to escape through the window. It also placed him as far away from Seto and his family as he could get, making the chances of him sneaking out unnoticed very small. Not to mention that it took longer to get to them, and that meant the enemy had plenty of time to figure out that he'd escaped.

There was, however, one advantage for Joey in this situation. He had grown up in this castle; had played here as a kid. There wasn't a single corner he didn't know about.

He turned corners, changed directions, dodged behind objects and tip-toed around sleeping guards to get out unnoticed. Only once was he seen; a servant who had been ordered to bring Keith some food had noticed him as he hid behind a statue, but Joey had just held a finger to his own lips in a hushing motion, and the man had immediately looked away without saying a word. The event had filled Joey with hope; he still had friends inside the castle.

As he made his way through the corridors, Joey thought about the best way to free his family. They were all kept in the prison on the lowest level of the castle, and the place was probably swarming with guards. And Joey was unarmed, not to mention that he hadn't eaten or slept properly in quite some time. He'd probably just end up caught again, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Which led him to his other option; find Seto, free him, and then barbeque Keith, Téa, Rebecca and all their pathetic henchmen. That way, it'd be a lot easier to free his family.

Now, of course Seto might be heavily guarded as well, but the probability of that wasn't quite as high, what with Rebecca's chains and everything. And Joey was pretty sure he'd be able to take down a guard or two…. But then again; Joey didn't even know where Seto was.

But he could guess!

Deciding it was the safest bet right now, Joey steered his steps towards the courtyard in front of the castle, praying to any god which cared to listen that his guess would be right.

* * *

Seto truly felt like some kind of interesting object from a museum where he lay on the large wooden podium that the witch had transformed especially for him, with three guards around him.

He dared flexing his muscles a little, feeling the chains stretch over his head, neck, wings, back and tail. She'd even chained the _tail_! He truly couldn't move!

The podium (which was really more like a scene or something) had holes in it, through which the chains fit perfectly and then continued down into the cobblestonebelow. It was so high that a human would be able to crawl in under it, and Seto had a sneaking suspicion she'd chained him here for the sole reason of showing him off. That, or she was just mocking him.

Either way, Seto was stuck good, and he didn't even dare try to pull loose: Joey might not be wearing that collar anymore, but he wouldn't, _couldn't,_ take any chances.

Joey. The very thought of him made something stir inside Seto. He hadn't seen Joey since that morning when they'd dragged him off, and it was getting dark now. Where was he? Was he okay? Did he think about Seto too?

The dragon snorted at the last thought. He was truly pathetic, lying around like this, wondering if some human boy was thinking about him. _Of course _Joey wasn't thinking about him! He had a family and a city to think about! Not to mention that he probably hated Seto's guts now; he was, after all, the reason the witch and her followers had been able to take over the city at all.

It didn't matter, Seto decided, feeling self-loathing and pride well up inside him. He had other things to worry about. Like how the hell he was going to get out of this! He didn't dare pull on the chains because of Joey, and he'd tried a couple of counter-spells, but none of them had worked to obviate the magic in the chains. When it came down to it, there wasn't much else he could do. Slithering out of the hold wouldn't work, he'd already tried. And even if he, by some miracle, managed to get out, what then? Save Joey? He didn't even know where the boy was. Go home? Well… the others were probably worrying. Mokuba must be sick with worry. And the village… the witch had blown it sky-high.

No, he couldn't just leave. He'd never just leave. But it didn't matter anyway, because he couldn't get out of this. It was hopeless.

Seto sighed and closed his eyes, feeling a drop of rain land on his head.

Things had gone completely wrong, hadn't they? What had he really done to prevent it? Everything had happened so fast… Was there really anything he _could _have done to prevent it?

_Of course you could have_, a small, evil voice in his head told him. _You could have NOT seduced Joey. You could have let him go when he wanted to. You could have fucking NOT kidnapped him in the first place!_

It was raining quite a bit now. Pouring. The three guards stationed around the podium/scene shook their heads to get the rain out of their eyes and exchanged disgruntled glances. Without a word they walked over to stand at the door which led into the castle, since it had a roof to stand under. They still had perfect view of the dragon, but they didn't get wet; perfect.

Seto was left in the rain, and soon completely soaked, but he didn't care. He was far too caught up in his own thoughts to notice anything else. His thoughts, which consisted of everything that had happened in his life recently. It's really ironic, how he'd spent four-hundred years doing _nothing_, and then everything changed within the span of a few months!

For so long, he'd thought he would always be alone with only Mokuba. He'd hated the humans and witches; he'd thought everything was over. That there was nothing more for him. And then Joey had come along and wrecked all of that. No… not wrecked… _changed _it; to the better. And this was how Seto repaid him.

A sudden yell from the guards by the door snapped him out of his thoughts, and Seto looked over at them in time to see the last one fall to the ground; unconscious bedside his friends. Above them stood Joey, panting lightly while his amber eyes stayed fixed on Seto.

They were wide and vulnerable; filled with sorrow and hope and so many other things that Seto couldn't even identify. Joey never hid anything; Seto knew this, and yet the very sight of his eyes made him lose his breath. How the hell could a person who had the ability to knock out four guys (within the span of thirty seconds) have eyes like that?

Neither of them said anything; they just stared at each other for a moment. Then Joey ran straight into the rain, jumped onto the podium, fell to his knees right in front of Seto and put both hands on his muzzle, smiling at the same time as his eyes seemed to sparkle with tears.

"I'm so glad I was right," he stated almost breathlessly, and Seto didn't care that he didn't understand what he meant. Joey was here; free, unguarded, and the very knowledge gave him hope. Not to mention the way he looked at Seto…

"I take it you're not mad at me then," Seto said after a moment. It might possibly be the stupidest thing he'd ever said, but he was tired, wet, chained to the ground and had the most beautiful human he'd ever seen in front of him. Cut him some slack.

"Oh, I'm mad alright," Joey answered with a small glare. "What the hell were you thinking?! You could have escaped from Rebecca! Then none of this would have happened! I told you I'm not worth it!"

Seto didn't say anything. It was simply such a stupid thing to say that he didn't find it worthy of an answer. He just glared at Joey defiantly for a moment, and the blond sighed and raked a hand through his hair, which was soaking wet by now. As a matter of fact, all of Joey was soaked, but he didn't seem to notice.

"No matter," Joey said with a wave of his hand. "We have to get out of here this moment! I'll chew you out later!"

"And how are you going to accomplish that?" Seto asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not pulling at the chains as long as you're wearing that collar," he eyed the glowing bond still around the blonde's neck, "and it doesn't work with counter-spells."

Joey thought about it for a moment. He couldn't force Seto to break the chains, and he'd already tried to get the collar off (it slipped through his fingers as if it was made of air, making it impossible to touch). The links were stretched so tight it would be impossible for Seto to slide out of them, and magic didn't work. What other options did they have?

Suddenly an idea struck Joey, and he rose to his feet, ran over to one of the unconscious guards and grabbed his sword.

"If you won't break loose, I'll just have to break the chains for you," he stated and kneeled by the chain which disappeared through the floor right next to Seto's head. Joey chose a link, put the blade against it and started sawing.

"I don't think that's going to work, Joey," Seto told him, but wasn't sure if he was heard over the rain and the high-pitched screech of metal on metal. Either way, Joey didn't answer.

A few minute went by, in which Joey used every ounce of strength in his body to make the goddamned chain break. His arms ached and his hands stung, but when the blade broke off without the chain showing a single scratch, he just went over and got the other three swords, starting over. When it became clear that sawing wouldn't work, he started hacking instead, which only made the blades break sooner. During all of this, Joey just grew angrier and angrier, along with his desperation.

It was when Seto caught sight of blood on his hands that he realized that he had to put and end to this.

"_Joey!_" He barked with the same voice he used on Mokuba when he wasn't screwing around anymore. Joey actually stopped hacking. Thank the gods. "That's enough. It's not working, and you're hurting yourself. Give up."

Joey's face twisted in anger, and he ignored his bleeding palms, which were quickly washed clean by the pouring rain.

"Give up?!" He snapped back. "How the hall am I just supposed to give up?! People are gonna _die_ if I give up, Seto! My family! _You_! I can't… I can't…"

His voice broke, and he just sat there, on his knees, in front of Seto, looking so lost and frustrated and sad that Seto just wanted to hug him.

"Joey," he said, softer.

"This is all my fault!" Joey continued; voice thick. "All my fault! If it wasn't for me, the village wouldn't have been blown up, you wouldn't be stuck like _this_, my family wouldn't be imprisoned, and Domino wouldn't be in the hands of a crazy witch and two vengeful siblings! If only I had-"

"If only what?!" Seto snapped, shutting him up effectively. "If only you'd looked into the future and seen all the things we would be through? If only you hadn't been such a good person to help Mokuba when he had been captured? If only you weren't so beautiful and amazing that you left me completely infatuated? If only _what_, Joey?"

Joey opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. He didn't have an answer to that, and Seto hadn't thought he would either. Softer, he continued:

"This isn't your fault. You made a mistake; we all do. It isn't fun, but that's how things work. We make mistakes. There's nothing you can or could have done about it."

The more Seto spoke, the more his earlier doubts and self-loathing disappeared. He was right, and he new it, and Joey knew it, because he was looking at him with such sad eyes, not trying to say anything anymore.

After a moment's silence, Joey crept closer, put his hands on Seto's muzzle again and leaned in so his forehead was against Seto's scales. He closed his eyes and ignored the rain and his soaking wet clothes.

"So how am I supposed to feel?" Joey whispered. "If not guilt, then what should I feel, Seto?"

The dragon stayed silent for a moment, thinking it over, then he sighed heavily, unknowingly blowing hot hair over Joey, giving him a little warmth.

"I don't know," he answered. "I don't know, Joey. Just don't blame yourself."

Silence. A long one. Joey was surprised to find that even in the rain, Seto's body was warm. He wanted to stay like this. Wanted to forget about stupid enemies and captured families. Back in the mountain… with Seto… he'd been happy. Truly happy. He wanted that back; like a spoilt child, he wished for nothing but that at the moment. He wanted the guilt and defeat and desperation to go away. He didn't want to be helpless, but that's exactly what he was at the moment: helpless.

"I'm sorry," Joey said at last. "Even if it's not my fault… I'm so sorry."

"Of course…" Seto said. "I'm sorry too."

Another silence, but this one didn't last as long, because Joey was suddenly struck by a though. Or well, it wasn't as much a thought as it was a memory.

Seto blinked in surprise as a voice suddenly reached his ears. A singing voice.

"_Hold on_," Joey sang softly, still pressing his forehead to the scales on Seto's face. "_Before it's too late. Until we leave this behind. Don't fall, just be who you are, it's all that we need in our lives." _

"That's nice," Seto murmured and closed his eyes. "I've never heard that song before."

"My dad sang it for me and Serenity all the time when we were kids," Joey told him. "I love it."

"You have a beautiful voice," Seto said with a soft chuckle. "I'd like to hear it some more."

Joey smiled slightly, despite the tears that were threatening to leak from his eyes. Seto wanted to hear him sing? That was fine with him. Right now, Seto could have told him to bend over backwards and fetch the moon, and Joey would have done it. For him.

"_So live like you mean it... love 'til you feel it… it's all that we need in our lives_." He traced Seto's face with the palms of his hands, felt the hard, yet strangely warm and smooth scales and the life beneath them. "_So stand on the edge with me, hold back your fear and see…_" His hands slipped backwards and accidentally touched the cold chain over Seto's head. The tears promptly leaked out and ran down his cheeks. "…_Nothing is real 'til it's gone._"

Suddenly, loud voices echoed across the castle yard, and some of Téa's and Keith's guards came running with torches.

"There he is!" One called and pointed at Joey. "Get him!"

"Stay here," Seto murmured as Joey tensed and straightened to look at the guards. "Finish the song."

Joey looked down into his eyes, and realized that he was right. There was nowhere else for him to be; he wasn't going to run, and he sure as hell wasn't going to go to them. He was right where he wanted to be: by Seto's side- and he was going to stay there for as long as he could. He settled back and leaned in to rest his forehead against Seto's muzzle again, and sang a little louder to make sure Seto heard over the screams of the guards.

"_Hold on, before it's too late. Until we leave this behind. Don't fall. Just be who you are, it's all that we need in our lives._"

The guards came running with loud, heavy footsteps up the steps to the podium, and suddenly, Joey was yanked backwards by two pairs of strong hands. Still, he didn't break eye contact with Seto, even as the dragon's whole body tensed up to keep himself from struggling against the chains; as unwilling to leave Joey as Joey was to leave him.

"_Hold on!_" Joey sang once more and looked into desperate blue eyes. He didn't know why, but suddenly it felt very important to finish the song, the exact same way his dad had sung it. Maybe he was just loosing his mind. "_Before it's too late, until we_ _leave this behind! Don't fall, just be who you are… it's all that we need in our lives!_"

Joey didn't care that it hurt when they hurled him backwards, away from Seto, off the podium, and towards the castle. He didn't care that the guards were giving him funny looks, and that one of them turned to his partner and stated; 'Blondie's crazy!' He wouldn't care if the sky fell down and crushed them all. He only cared about the desperate look in Seto's eyes, even as they dragged him across the yard.

"_It's all that we need in our lives!_" he almost screamed.

Suddenly, the guards seemed to have had enough. The prince's insane behaviour was scaring them, and this wasn't a good omen for how tomorrow would go. Therefore, one of them stopped in front of Joey, and while the other two still held him fast, he pulled his arm back and punched Joey as hard as he could across the jaw. Seto roared in outrage, but he still didn't move. His large body was trembling terribly, trying to stay still.

Joey spat some blood and stopped singing. The guards, happy with the result, dragged him backwards towards the door. Joey had time to lift his gaze and meet Seto's eyes one last time before the doors closed. The dragon looked broken… defeated. Joey smiled at him through his tears, and as the doors slipped completely shut, he sang the last line so softly only he himself could hear it:

"_It's all that I need in my life…" _

**Ever heard that song Joey was singing? Please, please PLEASE go check it out on the link below! I totally love it! **

**wwwDOT****youtubeDOTcom/watch?v=R2DMEKrdmmw**

**This week has definitely been music week! XD I've had TWO inspirational songs for this chapter, the first one you can check out on the link above, and the other is "Sound the Bugle", sung by Bryan Adams, soundtrack of the movie "Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron". Both very lovely songs which I can recommend deeply! **

**Two more chapters, then this baby will be done! I can barely believe it! T.T **

**This chapter was mostly a filler, but the real, REAL face-off will take place in the next chapter. PREPARE FOR EPIC BATTLES, SWORD-FIGHTING, FIRE-BREATHING AND SETO AND JOEY KICKING BUTT. …Oh yeah, and people die. D:**

**And as per usual, thank you so much to all those who reviewed. …Although I must admit (and yes, I am aware that I'll sound like a friggin' spoilt brat when I say this, but… well, it's your own fault for spoiling me with those awesomely awesome reviews!) I'm a little disappointed that I didn't even breach the thirty-mark for the last chapter! :S **

**Am I loosing it? Please, tell me if I'm loosing it! My touch, that is. **

**Okay, I'll stop talking before I piss someone off…. Unless I haven't, already… In that case, I apologize. **

**Oh, just one more thing; ****hanyou-hime, don't worry! I got it! ;D **

**R&R!!!**


	32. The Tables Starts to Turn

Chapter thirty-one: Tables Starts to Turn

Dawn came with mixed feelings for many different people. Téa stood on the balcony in Adhara's room, watching the rays get brighter and brighter as the sun got closer to the horizon. As it finally peeked over the edge for the first time, hitting the brunette girl in the face with its warmth and light, she smiled and gave a sigh of anticipation.

"Today's the day," she announced to the only other person in the room. "Today, I become queen of Domino."

Keith was sitting by a table opposite Adhara's bed, with the four magical arrows he'd been given spread out on it. Compared to the warm golden glow of the sun, their yellow-glowing tips looked almost sickly. Keith took one and gently dragged his finger over the tip, careful; so that he wouldn't cut himself.

"Don't let your guard down," he advised his sister. "Rebecca was on her guard, so we should be too. You never know what might happen; the prince's almost-escape last night is proof of that."

"That crazy old witch just wants to ruin our triumph," Téa said scornfully. "Besides, we caught the prince, and he's safely locked away now. I'm not going to let myself be held down. This _is _the big day, and before it's over, I'll be queen, the impostors will be dead, and the people of Domino will finally see me for what I am; their rightful leader!"

Keith rolled his eyes.

"Would you let that go? The revenge-thing, I mean. It's not like it's all that important."

"If that's not important, then what is?!" Téa hissed, suddenly furious as she glared at him. "Why are _you _going along with this, if not to prove to the people that we're better that them?!"

"I'm only in it for the money and women," Keith said with a grin. "Especially the little princess. She'll look wonderful, decorating my bed."

"You disgust me."

"Whatever." They both looked up when the door opened and Duke stepped inside. Keith put the arrow down and made a welcoming gesture at the other man. "Ah, here we've got someone who understands what I'm talking about, don't you, Dukie?"

"Excuse me?" Duke asked, looking a little confused.

"This little mission of ours," Keith said. "Don't you wanna take control of Domino for the fun in it? And I hope you understand what I mean when I say '_fun_'." And he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh," Duke said. "Well… technically, I'm in this for the money… but there is someone I'd love to get my hands on."

A small grin spread on his face, and Téa gave a small 'A-HA!' and pointed at him.

"So _that's_ why you wanted us to keep the knight!" She said, and Keith's face seemed to fall a little. He looked back up at Duke with new eyes.

"Holy shit, you're a fag?" He said.

"Is that a problem?" Duke's voice was suddenly very, very cold.

"Uh… not really, I guess," Keith said, looking back down at his arrows. "Just… make sure to keep your distance."

Duke glared at him angrily, but Téa cut in and saved the situation.

"Don't mind him, my lord. If he was any more stupid, we'd have to water him." She smiled at him to show that at least _she _didn't have any problem with his preferences, completely ignoring Keith's glare. "Now, was there something you wanted?"

"I just wanted to inform you that the witch is done preparing the castle yard. The gallowsare finished, as well as your thrones. All you have to do is give the men a signal, and they'll start rounding up witnesses for your coronation."

"Perfect!" Téa said with another smile. "Then I'll have to start looking for a proper dress! Would you be kind enough to send for a few maids when you leave, lord Duke?"

"Of course, my lady," Duke answered and bowed deeply, before leaving the room again.

"He's proven to be pretty useful," Keith remarked once he was gone. "It's a good thing we made him join us. Even if he _is _a fag."

"Of course," Téa said, but it was obvious she hadn't really been listening to him. She looked back outside, still with the smile in place. Watched the sun rise steadily and bring them closer and closer to afternoon. She could barely wait.

* * *

In a cell many, many floors below, Serenity and Tristan watched the golden light which signalled a new day pour into their prison from the tiny window high on the wall. They couldn't see the sunrise like Téa, but they knew what the light meant, and it filled them with dread.

"We have to get out of here," Serenity stated and examined the door for the thousandth time, looking for flaws or weak parts that could help them get out. And just like before, she was disappointed.

"It's no use," Tristan said from his place on the floor, leaning against a wall. "We've tried everything we can in this goddamned cell, and we're not getting out unless someone lets us out. Just get it, Serenity; we lost."

She sighed and stood up. For a moment, she just looked at him, sitting there, looking tired and broken. The sight was almost as bad as seeing the pain in Joey's eyes last night, and she felt her own resolve falter at his negativity. He hadn't said much since they were put in here; since the incident with Duke. She could understand that he was upset, but Duke had been _her_ friend as well, and she didn't end up like a broken doll! Her mother and grandfather were going to be executed, for god's sake, and she didn't give up!

But maybe she was being unfair… She was just stressed, and frustrated, and whished the old, strong Tristan would come back. She really needed him now.

With a sigh she walked over and sat down beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I'm really sorry, Tris," she said, and felt his sadness seep into her own body. "I can't believe Duke did-"

"No," he interrupted, voice a little shaky. "Me neither. But could you please… just _not _mention his name?"

Serenity looked at him, but he stubbornly stared straight forward, at the door. It was obvious that he was trying his very, very hardest to not show anything, but he was failing miserably, and finally, something clicked in Serenity's mind. She felt like an idiot for not realizing it before!

Tristan loved Duke.

And that only made all of this so much worse….

"Okay," she said after a moment, linking her fingers with his. "I won't."

* * *

Outside the castle, on the courtyard, which was bustling with activity even this early, Seto looked up at the sky which was quickly growing bluer and bluer. He lay silent and unmoving, and his eyes didn't reveal anything, but inside, his heart was swelling with fear and frustration.

Today was the day. He didn't know exactly what was going to happen, but it sure as hell wasn't anything good, if the gallows and the scene the witch had transformed were any indications. And the rising sun only seemed to be yet another reminder that his, Joey's and everyone else's time was running out.

"Take a close look at the sky," a mocking voice told him, and the little witch stopped beside him. Immediately, the fear was replaced with hate inside him, and Seto glared at her to the best of his ability, considering the circumstances. "Because after today, you'll never see it again. After today, you'll belong to me." Her smile was happy; filled with sunshine and homicide. "After today, you won't be alive anymore."

Seto said nothing. He refused to waste his breath on this vile creature. She, who had used Joey against him, she who had turned him into this weak creature…. Seto was ashamed of himself, and he was sure his ancestors must be too, if they were looking.

And it was all because of this little demon.

"See that?" Rebecca ignored his burning eyes and pointed at the gallows she'd transformed from a pile of planks. "First, you'll have to watch the mother of your beloved little human die over there, and then you're mine to do with as I please. And believe me; I'll do what I please!"

Was she trying to scare him? Well, that wasn't going to work, because he found it very hard to be intimidated by a pipsqueak such as her, no matter how deranged she looked. Seto glared up at her, still defiant and unafraid. That seemed to bother Rebecca, because her eyes narrowed, and she bent down and hissed to him:

"First, I'll rip the scales of your body, one by one, until you're howling in pain and begging for death. But I won't give it to you. I'll rip out your claws and teeth, burn your eyes while they're still in your sockets, cut off the tail, slice you open from belly to throat, and do a thousand other things I come up with along the way." Still no flicker of fear on those sharp blue eyes. Only hate and defiance.

Rebecca stepped it up a notch.

"And then, once you've finally died from the pain, I'll hunt down the other dragon. The little one. The helpless one."

There was only one thing she could have said to make him reacts, and she'd hit dead on. This time, Seto's eye flared with a new light. A threat: _Touch Mokuba and I'll do things to you that are a thousand times worse than what you just mentioned_.

A pleased smile spread over the witch's face as she saw it. Finally; a reaction.

"If you think that what I'll do to you sounds terrible, then you won't even be able to _imagine _what I'll do to that one," she goaded self-confidently. "I will place a spell on him to keep him alive and sane through even the most painful of torture. The gods only knows for how long I'll entertain myself with that one. I'm truly looking forward to it; it's been so long since I had a good torture. But the best part of it all," now she straightened again, looking down at Seto the same way normal people look at ants, "the best part is the knowledge that _you _won't be able to do a single thing about it. I'll make sure to tell him that at the worst moments."

Seeing how riled up Seto had become –he was _this _close to attacking her; the chains tightened a fraction- she turned and walked away, feeling a lot happier than she had done when she woke up.

She'd needed that; Rebecca had never been a morning-person, after all.

* * *

Joey had been moved to another room, on the same floor as the last one, but this one had a pillar in it, by which he had been bound to make sure he wouldn't be able to escape again. Not that Joey tried again; when he'd been dragged away from Seto and met the dragon's gaze that last time, all will to fight had just left him. It was hopeless. It was over. They had lost. And there was nothing he could do about it anymore.

The morning had come and gone, and the sun was now standing high in the sky. Only a few more hours, then his mother and grandfather would be murdered, Téa and Keith would be rulers of Domino, and himself, Tristan and Serenity would be turned into slaves of the worst kind. And Seto… Seto would probably end up with Rebecca, which meant instant death for him.

For hours now, Joey had been sitting in that room, quiet and compliant, just thinking.

He thought about all his friends in the mountain and the -now burnt down- village, and how worried they must be. He thought about his family, and how he had failed them. He thought about Seto, and how Joey's mere presence had become the dragon's downfall. He thought about Duke, and why he'd done what he did; could anyone have stopped him from doing it? Would it have made a difference if Joey told him about Tristan's feelings?

He remembered all the things he'd been through and seen in his life; he remembered all the smiles and kisses his parents always shared, and how he himself had wondered if he'd ever have something like that (if he'd only known). He remembered the first time he'd been allowed to hold Serenity as a small child, and how a wave of protective love had washed over him as he looked at her; a mere infant. He remembered a thousand different games he, Tristan and Duke had played, and all the trouble they had found themselves in.

He remembered a grand birthday-party, and a small, terrified dragon in a cage. He remembered the first time he'd ever laid eyes on Seto, how petrified he had been, and the very first words he'd ever spoken to the large dragon ("_Hey! Let go of me!_").

He remembered week after week in the cave, and how it had slowly grown to become his home. He remembered every word spoken by Mokuba, Isis, Yugi, Yami, Bakura, Ryou, Malik, Marik and Mai.

And he remembered Seto. In all his shapes, with all his expressions and moods, with his sharp eyes and infuriating smirks and completely irresistible power to attract Joey; he remembered it all.

Joey's stomach suddenly growled, and his shoulders ached from being held in the same awkward position for hours. He hadn't eaten in a long time, but that was the least of his problems. Actually, he was almost angry at his stomach for making itself heard at this moment. Here he was; at the lowest point of his existence (yes, even lower than when Anubis had him at his mercy) and the only thing his body could do was inform him that it needed food! He couldn't even cry, and he didn't know why. It was all so frustrating!

A church-bell rang somewhere in the distance, and Joey counted the clangs carefully.

Three.

Was it time? Was this the moment Téa decided the execution would take place? Did he still have time to do something? Or had it already been done?

Were they already dead?

…No, they couldn't be; Joey was pretty sure he would have felt something if that was the case; a hollow space in his heart… a sharp bolt of pain through his body… anything! But up until now, he hadn't felt anything like that.

But now, for the first time in hours, something actually _happened_. Not to Joey though; outside the door, there was a sudden yelp, the sound of a sword being pulled out of its sheath, and then a muffled 'thud'.

Joey froze at the sounds and lifted his gaze to the heavy wooden door. Everything was completely silent for a moment, then he heard the sound of soft footsteps, something jingling, and a key was put in the lock and turned just the right way.

Joey couldn't even blink as the door slid open slowly. His whole body was as tense as a guitar-string, and his heart was beating fast. What would happen now? Was this person who walked through the door a friend or foe? The salvation he had been waiting for, or the last proof that everything was over?

Two soft steps, then Duke's dark hair, pale face and emerald eyes became visible in the doorway.

Disappointment.

That was the first thing Joey felt, quickly followed by anger, defeat and sorrow. His muscles relaxed and he sunk into a depressed pile on the floor. Or well, as much as he could sink into a pile in his bound position.

Duke stepped into the room, marched over to him and kneeled beside him. Joey vaguely considered kicking him, but realized he was simply too tired to care. The traitor wasn't worth the pain it'd cause his muscles, anyway. Duke put a bag which he had carried over his shoulder down on the floor and looked at the blond.

"Are you alright?"

Joey's head snapped up. He stared at the other, wide-eyed. That hadn't been the tone of a traitor, but a friend. What was this, now? A trick? But why would Duke waste time on tricks? He'd already won!

Duke leaned in and started fiddling with the ropes around Joey's wrists, ignoring the shock and confusion in his brown eyes. For a couple of seconds longer, the blond stayed in mental disarray, and then everything just came to a halt.

"You _faked_ it?!" He managed to squeak, and Duke nodded.

"Someone had to stay free in order to help the others," he explained, and something stirred inside Joey. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, but Téa and Keith are been keeping an eye on me, as well as the witch. Besides, I wanted to get some things before coming here."

The thing which had been stirring inside Joey only a second ago suddenly broke loose, and as soon as his wrists were free, he threw his arms around Duke's neck in a tight hug. The lord looked a little taken aback, but Joey didn't notice; he had his face buried in his friends (his _real_ friend's) neck, and his whole body was shaking from relief and joy.

Duke wasn't a traitor! At least he hoped so… there was still so much that needed to be explained, but he _had_ come here, and he'd freed Joey, and why would he do that if he wasn't a friend? It was risky to just blindly trust him like this, Joey knew that. But he couldn't stop the relief from welling up; his mind and body refused to listen to the small suspicious voice inside him. Duke was a friend. He had to be!

"H-how?" He asked when they separated a few seconds later, and Duke seemed to understand what he was really asking.

"I'll explain while we get out of here," Duke said and helped him to his feet. "It's a bit complicated, and the guard might show up. Although I think most of them are down at the courtyard, we shouldn't take any chances."

Any hunger and fatigue Joey might have felt before was gone with the wind now. A new, almost explosive hope was welling up inside him, making the adrenaline pump. Duke was a friend. Duke would help him. All hope wasn't lost.

The emerald-eyed boy led him out of the room. Outside the door, three guards lay dead on the floor. Two had arrows sticking out of their chests and the third had been killed by a sword. Joey glanced at Duke, and he shrugged.

"I might not be as skilled as you and Tristan, but I'm not worthless," he said, and that was that. They dragged the bodies into the room, locked the door and hurried down the corridor while Duke explained everything.

"Téa and Keith contacted me about a year ago," he began. "They made the mistake of thinking that I'd drifted apart from you guys after my parents' death, and believed that my many riches would be a great resource in their plan to take over Domino. However; they propositioned me in such a way that I didn't get any clear motives out of them, but I realized this might be my chance to unravel them for the traitors they have always been. I was trying to help, therefore I pretended to be on their side; providing them with money and worthless information all the while looking for solid proof of their treachery." He raked a hand through his hair and frowned. They hurried down a flight of stairs and hid in a room as two guards walked passed them, laughing and joking.

"When you disappeared, I sponsored their search, mostly because I really _did _hope that they would find you. …I never actually thought they'd come home with a _dragon_!" Duke made a short pause while Joey checked the corridor to make sure it was now free from soldiers before they continued. "Now afterwards, I realize that it's actually _my _fault they ever found the dragon…; if it wasn't for my money, none of this would have happened."

"I don't blame you, Duke," Joey assured him with a friendly hand on his shoulder. "You were just trying to help, and couldn't possibly have known what they'd do. Heck, if someone had come up to me a few months ago and told me that all of this would happen, I would have thought them completely wasted."

_Which is exactly what Seto was trying to tell me last night_, Joey realized and faltered for a moment. _None of us could have known this would happen. We're all blaming ourselves, but that isn't going to help anything. Seto knew that and tried to tell me… but I didn't listen. God, I've been such an idiot. _

"Now afterwards, it all seems so stupid, and of course there's more to this, but right now I can't tell you all the details, Joey." They had reached the third floor now, and stood hidden behind a statue. The corridor to their left would bring them down to the prison. The one to their right would bring them to the courtyard. "Just know that I'm still you friend, and I'd never betray you."

They looked into each other's eyes, and Joey realized that this was a completely different pair of eyes than the ones which had met Tristan's the day before. Those eyes had been calm and controlled, not betraying a single thought. These were open and pleading; eyes Joey remembered seeing as a child. Damn, Duke was a good actor, and Joey thanked the gods for that! He smiled and put a hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"I do know, Duke. And I'm so glad you never left," he assured the other boy before slipping into business-mode. They had a city to save, after all. "Now, we need to find and help the others. I say you go on to the prison and get Tris and Serenity… and mom and grandpa too, if possible, and I'll go on to the courtyard and try to free Seto." _Again. Somehow. _

"Okay, let's improvise from there," Duke agreed with a nod, and was just about to turn away from Joey when a thought struck him. He grabbed the blonde's arm. "One more thing, Joey," he started rummaging through the bag he had slung over his shoulder, and pulled out a pair of belts which Joey recognized all too well. Or rather: he recognized the swords _strapped _to the belts.

"I managed to steal these back from Keith," Duke said and held them out for him. "I figured it was about time they reunited with their true owner."

Joey took the belts as if they were made of the most expensive glass in the world, and for a moment he just held them in his hands; _feeling_.

Ever since he'd dropped one of his swords all those moths ago when Seto kidnapped him, he hadn't felt complete. There had been one part missing, and Joey had felt it. He had been unbalanced and incomplete, but now, with both his swords in his hands again, everything was alright. Every single word his martial-arts teacher had ever spoken to him flashed in his head, and a new sense of strength filled him. He'd need this extra boost if he was gonna make it through this, but now… now, he _believed_.

_I WILL save everyone I love. _

Quickly strapping the belts around his waist, Joey looked back up at Duke with a grateful smile.

"Be careful," he told the dark-haired boy, and Duke just nodded before turning and taking off down the corridor at a sprint. Joey watched him go, sending a small prayer to the gods that he'd be okay, before turning and running off in the exact opposite direction.

There was no time to loose.

* * *

An inattentive soldier provided Joey with the perfect disguise to get close to Seto. Now he walked around dressed in a large cloak which hid his swords quite well, a chainmail, and an iron helmet to hide his telltale blond hair.

He'd arrived at the last moment; the castle-yard was swarming with life. Soldiers, servants, and the people of Domino had all come to watch their king and queen's hanging; some with dread (the people), others with smugness (the soldiers). A wall of magic (courtesy of Rebecca, no doubt) kept the people from starting a riot; they were forced to stand in a huge circle around the courtyard, more than ten metres away from Keith and Rebecca, as well as the gallows and even Seto. Joey watched their worn, frightened and hopeless faces from beneath the helmet he was wearing.

_Is__ this the future that awaits them?_

He quickly turned his attention to Seto instead.

The dragon was still lying chained in the exact same place where Joey and he had had their encounter last night. It broke Joey's heart to see him so unmoving and furious, and he tried to catch the dragon's eye for a moment, before realizing that it was all too risky; he should concentrate on finding a way to free him instead.

Joey had tried to break the chains last night, and that hadn't worked. But maybe there was some other way, if he got to the spot where they were stuck in the ground…?

It was a wild chance, but it was the best option he had at the moment. Joey discreetly made his way towards Seto, trying to look as evil and uninteresting as he could as he went. No one looked at him, but every time Joey passed a soldier a bit too close, his heart skipped a beat in fear. If he was discovered, everything would be over.

When he reached the podium and stopped right beside it, Seto finally noticed him. The dragon's eyes widened, and Joey sent him a glare as if to say; 'one word and we're both dead, so shut up!'. Seto seemed to understand, because his furious scowl was back in no time, and he just kept staring straight forward as if nothing had happened.

Sighing mentally in relief, Joey slowly started walking around the podium, discreetly looking for some way to get in under it. He could feel Seto's eyes on him the whole time; to anyone else, it probably looked like he was guarding the dragon, and the dragon in turn was glaring at him, but Joey knew that Seto was following every movement he made with well-disguised hope.

Joey walked around him twice, and as he reached the northern side of the podium for the second time, his heart made a jump of excitement as he noticed a small door- barely noticeable since it was the exact same colour and texture as the rest of the wood. It was just big enough for him to get through; he knew that much, but now the second problem arose.

How the hell was he gonna get in there without anyone noticing?!

He couldn't just get to his knees and crawl through it without anyone noticing; he'd get far too much attention.

No, what Joey needed was something to distract all others.

As if someone had heard him (and maybe someone had) a trumpet suddenly blew a signal, turning all eyes towards the castle's main entrance, which consisted of two large oak-doors. Now they opened, and Téa, Keith and Rebecca walked out, followed by a couple of guards who held Rabastan and Adhara in a firm grip. All the soldiers started cheering, the servants clapped politely (they'd been forced to) and the people outside the magical barrier stood silent and fearful.

Joey's heart took a small leap of fear at the sight of his family. They looked unharmed and okay (considering the circumstances) but it was starting! He had to hurry, or his mom and grandfather would be murdered!

Realizing this was the only chance he'd get, Joey scanned the crowd around him for a moment. No one was looking at him. Saying another prayer, he got to his knees and pushed at the small door.

It didn't open. It was locked.

Swearing silently, Joey changed his position and _kicked _it. This time, it opened.

Wasting no time, he crawled in under the podium and put the door back. Then he just listened for a tense moment; had anyone seen it? Would anyone say anything?

No protests came and no one tried to open the door again, and after a moment Joey allowed himself to relax. The cheers and clapping from outside could still be heard as he turned around towards the chains.

Here, under the podium, it was a little hard to see; the only light came from the holes through which the chains ran. In ten places they had been drilled into the ground, and Joey didn't even have to take a closer look to know that they were impossible to pull loose. Still, Joey crawled over to the closest chain on his hands and knees (the roof was way too low for him to stand upright, or even on his knees) and inspected it closely.

It looked like a completely normal chain. Nothing unusual about it. But there had to be some weakness; all chains had a weak link, and now Joey started looking for just that. When he couldn't find any on the first chain, he crawled over to the next one.

"People of Domino," he heard Téa's smug voice start to speak. Joey listened to her with one ear as he kept looking. "For a long time, I've been waiting for this moment. I've fought for it, I've suffered for it, and now it's finally here."

Outside, Téa was standing on a scene which Rebecca had transformed along with the gallows. Behind her, Keith and Rebecca sat on a throne each, and there was a third one for Téa to sit in and witness the hanging. Adhara and Rabastan had been brought over to the gallows and were now standing with their hands bound behind their backs and another rope around their throats. Still, neither of them showed a single trace of fear; regal and courageous to the very end.

"A long time ago, my bloodline was banished for crimes that all of Domino was part of," Téa said. "When the times changed, you needed a scapegoat, and my ancestor was the one who got the honours. For hundreds of years we have had to suffer because of it. But no more. We, my brother and I, have finally reclaimed what should have been ours all along." She made a pause, and the soldiers cheered while the people stayed silent. "From now on, things will be different. A new order is standing on our doorstep, and it involves all of you. From now on, I am Téa, queen of Domino. And you will obey me, as a people should always obey their leaders!"

"Screw you!" Some brave man in the crowd yelled. "We want nothing to do with you! We'll never bow to you!"

Naturally, others followed.

"Leave us alone!"

"Down with Queen Téa!"

"Long live king Rabastan!"

"Go back to the pit you came from, hag!"

_That's it_, Joey thought, examining the last chain without any luck. _Buy me some time… just give me a little more time!_

Strangely enough, Téa didn't look fazed at all by the angry shouts which just got louder and louder. She just turned to Rebecca calmly, and smirked. The witch looked almost bored as she made a complicated hand-gesture.

A lightning-bolt tore free from the magical barrier which was keeping the people at bay, and struck down in the middle of the crowd. People screamed in fear, and their unity shattered. Their screams of rebellion died. Téa laughed.

"You are completely powerless! This is my country now, and you are all my servants! You have nothing that can compare to this witch or dragon. My power is complete, and I will now execute your beloved king and queen, to prove just how weak and easy to kill all of you are."

Joey froze.

_No! Not yet! NOT YET!_

The soldiers started to cheer and scream encouragements to Téa. Her smirk widened. Every single person in the crowd held their breaths as one of her men walked over to the hand-lever on the gallows; the hand-lever which would open the hatchway beneath Adhara and Rabastan's feet and send them to their deaths. The king and queen held their breaths along with them.

A hand closed around the stick.

"But first!" Téa called, and the cheering died. "I'd like to thank a very special person, and give them a few gifts, as proof of my appreciation."

The hand left the stick.

Joey gasped for breath, feeling like someone had just removed their hands from around his neck. Outside, Téa turned to Rebecca with a smirk.

"Rebecca, most powerful and honourable of witches," she said, and the blond girl raised an eyebrow. "None of this would have been possible without you. My brother and I are forever indebted to you. I know it is nowhere near enough, but my first gift to you is the knowledge that you will always be welcome in Domino, and always be the guest of honour. Whenever you fell like it, the gates of Domino will stand open for you."

Rebecca smirked when she realized why Téa was doing this in front of all these people.

The new queen wanted all of Domino to think that the witch was a powerful ally, and that as long as she was a good friend of Téa's, they would have no power. It was all about psychology, and quite clever, she had to admit. And what was even cleverer was the thing Téa said after that:

"My second gift, honoured witch, is something I know you have wanted for a long, _long _time," Téa smirked. "I give you, as thanks for all your hard work and assistance… the dragon."

Beneath the podium, Joey choked on his own breath. Seto froze. Rebecca and Keith smirked, and the soldiers cheered.

Téa did it to placate Rebecca. She wanted them to make nice with each other. She knew what Rebecca wanted; to destroy the last dragon, and have an audience while she did it, and Téa gave it to her.

Rebecca knew this was a trick, but damn if she didn't care. This was what she had been waiting for since the day she was born. The ultimate honour. Her queen and sisters would be proud of her once she joined them on the other side.

"Thank you, my queen," Rebecca said and stood up. Their eyes met, and a pact was made. They were no longer enemies in any way. "If you do not mind, I think I will take care of my gift right this instant."

Téa's eye gleamed. If Rebecca killed the powerful dragon right here and now, everyone would see just how strong she was. That would be the ultimate proof that the people of Domino didn't have a chance against their leaders.

"Oh, please do," she said and curtsied. Rebecca bowed- although not very deeply- and then slowly turned and walked off the stage, taking her time as she walked across the courtyard towards Seto.

And he was still refusing to move.

Under him, Joey was panicking. No weak links, and no other plans which could help him.

Slowly, it occurred to Joey that Seto was gonna get killed, and he couldn't do a single thing.

_NO!_

Not entirely sure what he was doing, Joey pulled both of his swords from their sheaths. The blades sang to him, and still moving on autopilot, Joey took one and stuck it through one of the chain links. Since the chain was so big, Joey could slide the sword in a good couple of inches without problem. He then took the other sword and stuck it in the same coil, except from the other way.

The result: Joey's swords stuck in the link like a pair of scissors.

Maybe it was Joey's imagination, but he swore he could _feel _the ground vibrate for every step Rebecca took; closer and closer. He didn't see it, but she had a strange, serene smile on her lips, her eyes were completely black, and she didn't look away from Seto for a single moment.

He met her gaze, still just as defiant, and he refused to show any fear, even though his heart was beating wildly. He still didn't move.

Joey grabbed the handles of each sword with his cold, sweaty hands and pulled them towards each other, like you do with a pair of scissors. He was trying to cut the chain off, using every ounce of strength in his body. Sweat ran down his face, and he must be straining himself more than his brain could handle, because small golden sparks danced in his vision.

Rebecca's first step onto the podium sounded like the detonation of an A-bomb in Joey's ears. He pulled and pulled, but the chains didn't even get scratched. And those stupid sparks refused to go away.

Rebecca stopped in front of Seto; darkness already dancing around her fingers. Her body was shaking from anticipation and the strain of keeping her magic at bay. For a moment she just stared at him with that same, serene smile. The she raised an arm. The darkness gathered in her palm like a large, hissing ball.

"I've waited for this moment for so long," she admitted softly and the ball flared violently. Seto closed his eyes and took a last breath. Still didn't move.

_I'd rather die than kill Joey…_

Without letting go of the swords, Joey twisted his body at a strange angle and kicked the floor of the podium as hard as he could.

The planks buckled beneath Rebecca, and for a nanosecond, she was thrown off balance, looking down at the floor.

"What was-"

"Fucking _break_, you fucking piece of worthless chain shit," Joey screamed furiously, and yanked at his swords one last time.

The golden sparks he'd seen before exploded. Or maybe it was the swords that exploded. Or the chains….

Either way, one second the chains were whole and unbreakable, the next they shattered with a loud crack, and Joey fell to the ground; unconscious.

Seto felt the chains weaken, and before Rebecca had time to think, he'd raised his whole upper body. Suddenly, he was looking down at her with flaring sapphires, and she looked back up at him blankly.

Keith's chin hit the ground.

Téa gasped.

The people and soldiers held their breaths.

Rebecca's eyes widened to comical proportions.

And Seto released a wave of fire straight at her.

The witch barely had time to throw up a barrier to protect herself, and before she knew it, one of Seto's large paws came swooping from the side; it shattered her shield and sent her flying towards the castle-wall. The magical barrier which had kept the people out disappeared, and their screams of triumph mixed with Seto's furious roar. Somewhere in all this, Téa screamed.

And then complete chaos broke loose.

**Okay, I changed my mind! NOW there are only two chapters left! (And Laie Himura de Fanel; that's for you, since you wanted more chapters! I can't give you thirty, but I can give you three! :D) **

**And what do you know; ANOTHER CLIFFY! ****FiveForChibis is absolutely right; I AM having a mad love affair with cliff-hangers, aren't I? XD**

**Truth to be told, I split this chapter up. I'm sorry, but it was just so gosh darn long! I know you don't mind that, but honestly, if I'd posted the whole Final Battle in one chapter, it would have taken me another… seven days to update. I haven't even written the second part yet! So sorry, but at least you got an update! And I PROMISE to update as soon as I can. **

**Otherwise, what did you think about the chapter? PLEASE TELL ME! I WANNA KNOW!**

**And as usual, thanks to all those who reviewed! It occurred to me just yesterday that this story never would have gotten this far if it weren't for you guys. Honestly! I have two-hundred stories lying around among my documents (YES, 200! I COUNTED THEM, GODDAMNIT!) and **_**not a single one is finished**_**. I am not kidding!**

**So yeah, thank you all so much for making me finish this one! Because I WILL finish it! **

**Oh, gods! I almost forgot! I got another fanart! From LanaCookie, and it's absolutely lovely! Please check it out! **

**http://lanacookieDOTdeviantartDOTcom/art/Dragons-kiss-104347397**

**Until next time!**

**R&R!!!**


	33. Of Victories and Sacrifices

Chapter thirty-two: Of Victories and Sacrifices

Duke was completely oblivious to the going ons above him as he took the stairs which led down to the dungeonstwo at a time. His mind was completely set on finding and freeing his friends, and he rushed through the heavy oak-door into the prison and stopped just before rounding a corner. He took the opportunity to catch his breath for a moment, and then slowly peaked out from behind the corner, taking in the situation.

The prison was a single long, narrow stone-corridor with a low ceiling, and it would be able make anyone claustrophobic. On both sides there were countless of doors, all thick, impossible to break and with a lock on the outside. There was a small window with bars on all of them, giving the guards the opportunity to look into the cells, or the prisoners to look out.

The knowledge that Tristan and Serenity were somewhere down here made Duke's heart beat faster. Even in this situation, his love-sick mind betrayed him and he couldn't help but wonder what Tristan would say when he saw him. He'd been so upset last night, when Duke had tricked them… it had almost made Duke's mask crack to see his love like that. And now Tristan would find out it had been a trick to save them all… Maybe he'd be grateful and smile at Duke, that way he had done when they were younger. Or maybe (_dared he even hope?_) he'd react as strongly as Joey had, and _hug _him… or maybe even stronger than that! He _had _been very upset…

Shaking his head, Duke scolded himself. What the hell was he thinking?! No matter how Tristan would react, he'd have to get the brunette out of there first! And there were guards standing in the way of that! He must focus!

Because six soldiers were actually leaning casually against a wall, talking and laughing together as if Domino hadn't at all been taken over. They were all big, bulky and armed, and Duke knew for sure that he wouldn't be able to take them all down, not even with the bow he had resting on his shoulder.

Hiding behind the corner again, Duke thought about it for a moment. He wouldn't be able to take them with brute force, so he'd have to try and trick them. If he was lucky, they'd be just as stupid as they were big. If he was unlucky, this would be a few of the rare soldiers who were actually intelligent.

Realizing it was his best shot, Duke took a long, calming breath, and walked around the corner with his shoulders straight and head held high. He slipped on his 'arrogant noble' mask, and made sure they heard his boots click against the floor.

The soldiers looked up when they heard him. They straightened and saluted, but it was sloppy; they didn't respect him.

"Well well, if it isn't Lady Téa's pretty messenger," one of them taunted with a grin, folding his arms across his chest. Duke noticed his arms were thick like tree-trunks. "Never thought I'd see someone like _you_ down here."

"Neither did I," Duke answered and looked at him in a way which clearly said 'I'm better than you'. And then he quickly added: "funny that you would mention Lady Téa, because I actually have a message from her."

The men grinned at each other, as if to prove that they had been right, and Duke pushed down the urge to roll his eyes.

"She needs you five," he pointed at the biggest and bulkiest of them, "on the courtyard. Told me to send you up as quickly as possible."

Duke knew he was a good actor, but he could clearly see that the men weren't completely convinced. Immediately, they grew wary, squinting at him suspiciously.

Looked like he'd run into a few of the smart ones. Crap!

"Really, now?" The first one asked. "And why is that?"

"Hell if I know," Duke said and shrugged. "I'm just the messenger, remember?"

The man's eyes narrowed a little more.

"The lady clearly asked us to guard the prisoners, and weren't to leave unless she told us herself."

"Look, I don't care one way or another!" Duke snapped, looking irritated. "All I know is that she told me to go down here and get you, and if you want to disobey that, you'll have to take the blame for it later. I'll just go back upstairs and tell her you refused her orders. It's not like I can drag all of you out of here."

He turned on his heels and started to walk away, his heart beating at a hundred miles per hour. Would they fall for it? It was risky, but he had to tr-

"Wait!" The same guard as before said, and Duke stopped and turned around to look at him. On the outside, the young lord only looked irritated, but on the inside, he was exhaling a relieved sigh.

The guard looked uncertain, and thought about it for a moment. The others stood silently and patiently behind him, waiting for their leader to make a decision. After a short silence, Duke could see that he'd made up his mind, and once again he held his breath, praying he would get the right answer.

"Three of us will go," the man decided, looking at Duke, who kept his mask of indifference on. "If you're telling the truth, one can always go back down and get the other two."

Duke shrugged; the very image of indifference, and made a quick estimation his chances. Three left. They were bigger than him, but he was pretty sure he'd be able to take that many. He'd already done it once today, when he saved Joey.

"Does it look like I care?" He asked, and the soldier grunted and signalled two of his companions. They shoved their way past Duke and rounded the corner. He could hear their footsteps disappear through the door and up the stairs he himself had rushed down only a few minutes earlier.

"Aren't you going?" One of the three still left asked. Duke noticed that the leader had left the three biggest ones behind. He really wasn't stupid, but he sure had underestimated Duke.

The lord had never thought his scrawny physique would help him like this.

"In a moment," Duke promised, leaning casually against a wall. "As soon as I show my face Téa gives me some new order to follow. I'm sick and tried of it, and need a break."

The soldiers squinted at him suspiciously for a moment longer, then grunted glumly and turned back to their conversation.

Duke sighed as if in fatigue and put his bag down on the floor. He let the bow slip off his shoulder and land beside it. The guards glanced at him, but his casual, relaxed face made them turn back around, thinking nothing was wrong.

Looking calm on the outside, but feeling the adrenaline pump inside him, Duke knelt down and rummaged through the bag. They didn't turn to look at him this time. Still calm, he found the small quiver he'd packed before going to save Joey. He had six arrows left. He picked four out, grabbed the bow and stood back up. Still the guards didn't notice.

It wasn't until he put the first arrow to the bow- the other three being held fast between his tights within easy reach- that one of the guards noticed what he was doing. His eyes widened when Duke turned and aimed at them.

"Hey!" He called, and then had to blink as blood splattered onto his face. One of his companions, the one with his back to Duke, fell to the floor with an arrow through his neck.

Two shocked pairs of eyes watched the twitching body, and then turned to look at Duke. The raven-haired man had already gripped his next arrow and put it to the bow. The man who had cried out earlier screamed in pain and fell over as the arrow buried itself in his chest.

Now the third one finally snapped out of it, and before Duke had a chance to reload again, he threw himself at the lord, roaring in rage.

Duke threw the bow aside ad barely had time to dodge before the bigger body attacked. He took one arrow in each hand and took a few steps away from his aggressor, waiting for him to attack again.

"You fucking traitor!" The soldier snarled and came rushing towards him like a deranged bull.

But like a true matador, Duke rolled out of the way and buried both arrows deep in the other man's back.

His enemy threw his head back and screamed, and Duke punched him as hard as he could, making him fall over on his back and push the arrows even deeper into his own body. The screams went on for a moment while the man twisted in pain, but soon grew weaker until they stopped completely.

For a moment, Duke just stood in the corridor, panting and shaking as he watched what he'd just done; two dead, and one still dying. Blood was staining the floor red.

Feeling panic and remorse well up inside him, Duke shook his head and ran over to the one of the soldiers who had the keys strapped to his waist. While he yanked on the metal-ring in which the keys were stuck (trying to avoid touching the body as much a possible), a very familiar voice could be heard from one of the cells. Duke's heart skipped a beat.

"Hey!" Tristan called, and out of the corner of his eye, Duke could see a shadow moving in the small window on one of the doors. "Hey, what the hell is going on out there?!"

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Duke finally managed to yank the keys loose, and he ran over to the door and started fumbling with the lock. He didn't know if it was from anticipation, nervousness or fear, but his hands were shaking like crazy as he tried to find the right key.

"_Duke_?!" Tristan's voice sounded disbelieving and confused, but Duke didn't dare look up at his face through the window, or even answer. If he did, he'd probably drop the keys or something, and they had to get out of here as fast a possible; there was always the chance that someone had heard the soldiers scream. "What are you doing here?"

Duke didn't dwell on how stupid that question was. He'd finally found the right key, and with a shove, a twist and a yank, the door flew open and he was standing eye to eye with the love of his life.

For a moment, the two boys just stood there, staring at each other. Duke's eyes were shining with hope and happiness and appreciation, while Tristan just looked confused. But after a moment of complete and utter stillness, Tristan blinked…

…and tackled Duke to the floor with both hands firmly around his neck.

"Tristan!" Serenity screamed in horror and rushed out of the cell after him, latching on to one of his arms. "Stop it!"

"You asshole!" Tristan roared, shaking Duke violently and not loosening his hold at all. "You fucking traitor! You thought you could get away with it?! With letting all of us down!? Didn't I tell you I'd strangle you next time I saw you?! _Didn't I_?!"

"Tristan, stop it! You're gonna kill him!"

"You… idiot… let… go…" Duke gasped and wheezed, his voice coming out all weird from the violent treatment. "All… a…ploy… had… to… stay… free…"

"Tristan, let him go right now! He's not a traitor; he did it to _save_ us! I said _let him go_!" Serenity, who had somehow understood Duke's wheezing, yanked at the brunette's arm desperately. When it didn't work and he didn't let go, she took a step back and quite resolutely kicked him in the head.

"OW! _Shit_!" Tristan yelled, finally letting go of Duke to clutch his head. "Serenity!"

"He tried to tell you!" She yelled at him in answer to his furious glare. "He's not a traitor!"

Tristan, who finally heard what she said, froze and looked down on Duke, who was still lying beneath him, panting and flushed (but not in the good way).

"I-it's true…" Duke confirmed, rubbing his aching throat. "I've been pretending to work with Téa and Keith to get proof of their treachery for some time now. I didn't know all of this would happen, but when it did, I realized I had to do something. So I pretended to be on their side. Joey's already free and up there, trying to stop them from killing the king and queen."

Tristan stared at him for a moment longer, eyes completely unreadable. Then:

"So you… you didn't betray us?"

"No Tris," Duke said patiently. "Of course I didn't."

A strange shiver seemed to pass through the brunette, then he fell over forward, leaning his head on Duke's shoulder with his cheek pressed to the young lord's ear.

"Thank the gods," he breathed, still shivering. "Thank the gods… I though… thank you…"

Duke's cheeks caught fire and he broke into a sweat. Suddenly it didn't matter that he'd almost been strangled. All that mattered was that Tristan was here, and for a second, everything was as it should be between them. The knight _did _care about him, and the thought made Duke's heart flutter as if it wanted to fly out of his chest.

"Guys?" Serenity's voice suddenly penetrated the bubble of warmth and relief they found themselves in. "Not that you don't deserve a break or anything… but my mom and grandfather are about to be executed, and I kind of want to save them. If it was your own family, I'm sure you'd understand."

Tristan sat up straight with such speed that Serenity almost missed the movement. Duke stayed on the dirty floor, looking a little dazed still, but he quickly snapped out of it.

"Of course!" Tristan said and stood up. Despite the situation, Serenity couldn't help but smile at him teasingly as she saw the pink on his cheeks. "Let's go!"

He reached out a hand for Duke to take, and the two of them blushed even more as Tristan yanked the smaller boy to his feet.

"Joey's already up there, right?" Serenity asked, worry and eagerness making her eyes shine.

"Yes," Duke answered while he walked over and picked up his discarded bow and bag. He let the arrows be. "He wanted to-"

But he as cut off as the sound of a trumpet was heard above their heads. As one, all three looked up at the ceiling, then at each other, wide eyed.

"It's already started!" Serenity said.

"Let's go!" Tristan said at the exact same time, and they all ran towards the exit as fast as they could.

* * *

Joey jerked awake when something slammed into the side of the podium he was still lying under. For a second he was disoriented and didn't remember anything. But then it all slammed down on him with the force of a juggernaut, and he was grabbing his swords and scrambling to get to the door before he knew it.

Outside, there was complete chaos. Countless of people were running around, screaming and fighting whoever they came across, and Joey had a hard time separating the soldiers from the citizens. From their thrones Téa and Keith were screaming orders to their soldiers, and they had somehow managed to gather a small group who were protecting them from the people of Domino, but it was obvious that they had no control of the situation what so ever.

Lighting bolts and bursts of flames flew through the air above them, and on the other side of the courtyard Seto and Rebecca were caught up in a violent battle. She sent lighting and dark magic at him, but Seto only swooped it aside with a paw or a wing and released his own fire at her, forcing Rebecca to put up a shield to avert it. She dodged and jumped out of the way anytime he tried to crush her, and the attacks continued to whiz past each other like bullets on a battlefield during World War II. It was impossible to say who had to upper hand, but when Joey looked at Seto, he shivered and thanked the gods that he wasn't the dragon's enemy.

Seto looked _demented_. His eyes were glowing… as a matter of fact, his whole _body _was glowing a faint blue. It was as if his very blood had transformed into liquid magic. He looked astounding and terrifying at the same time, and Joey had to look away.

Instead, the blond turned his attention towards his family, which was still not safe. Adhara and Rabastan still stood pinioned at the gallows with a rope around their necks, watching the racket around them with wide eyes. A lighting bolt zoomed past Adhara a few millimetres from her ear, and she instinctively jerked her head aside, but couldn't get very far thanks to the rope.

Joey felt all other feelings drain away, replaced by pure adrenaline, and he gripped his swords harder. The chainmail he had used as a disguise was pulled over his head and tinkled as it hit the ground; the helmet had long since fallen off. Sweat trickled down his temple, and Joey took a few deep breaths to channel his strength. He let all thoughts drain away, and replaced them with a single knowledge.

He had one mission now, and that was to save his family.

_And he was g__onna fucking do that_!

Snarling like a complete madman, Joey threw himself into the crowd, slashing and kicking around himself to get to his mother and grandfather. Some of the soldiers he came across tried to run or crawl away from him, but most were foolish enough to try and fight him.

They rushed towards him with spears and swords held high, and Joey danced around and dodged them like the true combatant he was. His swords _sang _in his hands, seeming almost content to be back with their true master. Later on, Joey would believe that he had imagined it, but at that moment, in that sea of enemies and screams and blood and adrenaline, he swore that the blades were sharper and cut deeper than usual. His body moved almost on autopilot, and Joey loved every twist and turn, for it was proof of just how good he was.

He didn't notice any of the small cuts and scrapes the soldiers managed to give him, for anyone who managed to wound him was cut down before they realized that they had been able to cause any damage.

Despite his skills, Joey moved slowly towards his family. There were simply too many enemies. But his rampaging went far from unnoticed. Both Téa and Keith saw him come with dread in their eyes; saw him snarl and fight and kill, saw the blazing amber eyes and the normally beautiful face, which was now splattered with blood.

Before she quite realized what she was doing, Téa ran over to the very edge of the stage; the one closest to the gallows. She waved and screamed at the soldier who stood with Adhara and Rabastan; who was supposed to pull the hand-lever and send them to their deaths.

"Do it!" She screamed at him, wide-eyed. "Pull it! Kill them! _DO IT_!"

The man looked half confused, half scared as his gaze flickered to the crowd beneath him. He was smart enough to realize that the situation was out of hand, and now he stood completely paralyzed, not knowing what to do. After a moment's hesitation, his brain gave in to the instinct to obey Téa. He ran over and grabbed the hand-lever with both hands.

At that exact moment, Joey kicked one of his enemies aside and risked a glance up at him family. His eyes widened when he saw what the soldier was doing.

"_NO_!"

The man took a deep breath…

…and was hit in the chest by an arrow.

Looking surprised, he let go of the stick, clutched his chest, and stumbled backwards. He fell to the ground right behind Adhara and Rabastan, twitching until he was dead.

Téa stared at her shot soldier for a moment, and then she spun around in the direction the arrow had come from. Joey did the same; his wide eyes filled with both shock and relief.

Serenity, Tristan and Duke stood in the castle's main entrance, Duke with his bow still stretched and eyes fixed on his already shot-down goal.

A smile spread on Joey's face.

A grimace of fury on Téa's.

"Guys!" Joey called, and then quickly had to dodge as a spear came flying towards him. He bent down low and shoved his sword straight through his enemy's leg, penetrating muscles and bones and ruthlessly yanking it out again.

"Traitor!" Téa screeched to Duke at the top of her lungs, but it was barely heard over the noise around her.

-

Tristan and Serenity had already located Joey in the crowd. The knight picked up a sword from a body lying close by and dove in among the many people to get to him. Without hesitating, Serenity followed, calling Joey's name urgently. Duke picked up a sword of his own and took the long way around the courtyard, trying to avoid fighting on his way to the king and queen.

"Serenity!" Tristan called in the middle of the masses as the girl appeared beside him. "What the hell are you doing?! Get _out _of here, you stupid girl!"

"Joey's somewhere around here!" She called back, dodging under a dangerous sword and kicking the aggressor in the nuts. "We have to find him!"

"I can't protect you and look for him at the same time!" Tristan protested and slashed through a particularly ugly soldier who came at him on a sprint. "Stay with Duke and get your mom instead!"

"Too late for that now!" She called back, and then, before he had a chance to protest again, grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, just in time for him to see the tall, muscular brute that had snuck up behind him and had a large axe raised; ready to split Tristan's head.

The axe fell, Tristan stepped aside and the man stumbled forward as his heavy weapon didn't hit its intended target. He didn't have time to raise it again as Serenity delivered a spinning kick to his head (skirts flying around her) and Tristan impaled him with his sword.

Kicking the body aside, Tristan paused for a moment and stared at the girl he had always viewed as a little sister, who had always seemed so sweet and innocent. She looked back at him, and there was a confident glint in her eyes; like that of a queen.

"You can't watch your older brother and his friends spar for years without learning a thing or two," was all she said before stepping aside as another soldier came rushing, -this time with a spear- allowing Tristan to finish him with a powerful swing of his sword.

"Stay close to me!" He ordered her and turned around to fight his way through the crowd again. He realized it was no use arguing with her; she'd be safer by his side, anyway.

-

Duke had managed to make his way over to the gallows, but not unscratched. Although he was a good archer and a decent fighter, he was nowhere near Joey's and Tristan's level, and these soldiers were no rookies. He'd received quite a deep cut to his arm, and his body was covered in smaller, shallower wounds.

But he didn't care about that as he ran up the steps to where the king and queen stood bound and waiting. He lifted his sword, and with two strong slashes, the ropes around their necks were cut and fell from the beam they had been tired around.

"Sorry it took so long, your highness," Duke said and used the sword to cut the ropes around their wrists as well.

"You know what they say, my boy," Rabastan answered and bent down to take the sword from the dead guard lying behind him. "'Better late than never'." Their eyes met, and the king grew serious. "I'm glad I can still trust you."

Duke gave him a faint smile, before becoming serious again.

"We should get the two of you out of here right-"

"Don't be absurd!" Rabastan protested, standing proud and strong like the king he was. "I'm the king, and they betrayed my kingdom. I'm not going to do anything other than kill some traitors."

And without waiting for Duke to answer, he ran down the steps and disappeared in the crowd in search of Joey, Serenity and Tristan. Adhara made an attempt to follow, but Duke grabbed her arm and looked into her eyes with nothing but respect and concern.

"With all due respect, your highness," he told her with a respectful bow of his head. "That crowd is no place for a woman such as you."

She didn't say anything. She just _looked_ at him. Looked, until Duke started to squirm and finally let go of her.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking down at his shoes like an ashamed five-year-old.

"I thought you would say that," she said curtly, then turned and ran after her father-in-law, completely unarmed and with her long dress billowing behind her. Duke cursed silently, before running after her.

-

At the same time, Joey had turned around completely and was now trying to fight his way over to his sister and friend. He cut another soldier down, and was suddenly standing in an empty space where he could actually breathe for a moment. Joey took the opportunity to raise his gaze to look at Seto.

The dragon and the witch were still at it like mad. Rebecca had started lifting heavy boulders and throwing them at Seto, but that didn't work either. The two of them were completely oblivious to anything around them, and anything they came across, they destroyed. They had already demolished most of the castle-wall, and were on their way out into the city. Joey saw people scramble out of their way. Some didn't make it.

Cursing silently, he realized he had to do something. Seto was out of control, and Joey didn't blame him for that; _someone _had to stop the witch! But he had to finish it soon, if they wanted there to be any Domino left!

"Joey!" A familiar voice called in the crowd, and all other thoughts left Joey's mind as he looked back into the crowd and got a glimpse of his sister. "_JOEY_!"

He moved on autopilot again. Two slashes, two enemies fell to the ground screaming, and then she stood right in front of him.

She was pale, unkempt, scared and bloody, but she was his _little sister_; the most important person in his life, whom he hadn't seen in months, and thought he'd loose today.

Joey threw his arms around her in the tightest hug thought history, and Serenity wrapped her own arms around his waist and held on just as tight. Overcome by emotion, their legs trembled and gave out, and the two tumbled to the ground, not letting go of each other for a second.

"Joey!" She was sobbing into his chest, and he buried his head in her hair. "Joey… Joey…"

"Serenity…"

Above them, Tristan was doing his best to protect the two. He danced around them with his sword held high, keeping the enemies away from the two emotional royal children. It worked for the moment, but Tristan could feel his energy draining, and he'd need Joey's help soon.

-

Téa and Keith were still standing on the stage by their thrones, watching all this. Téa spun around and stared at her brother, fear and desperation shining in her large blue eyes.

"Do something!" She demanded, and he sent her a quick glare before snatching a spear from a soldier who was just running by beneath them. Looking out over the crowd, his sharp, archer-eyes spotted a familiar face: the brunette knight who had been so emotional yesterday. Remembering that he was a close friend of Joey's, Keith smirked evilly, brought the arm with the spear back, and threw it.

Joey was snapped out of his emotional bubble at the sound of Tristan's pained scream. Looking up from his sister, he watched as the brunette sunk to his knees, clutching his side, which was bleeding a lot and had a large spear sticking out of it. His amber eyes widened.

"_Tristan_!"

Serenity too came back to reality when Joey tore himself from her and threw himself towards their friend, slashing at a soldier who was just about to drive his sword through Tristan's heart. Once again, he was snarling and fighting like a madman, and it was now Joey's turn to keep the enemies at bay while Serenity crawled over to Tristan and lifted his upper body into her lap.

"Tris," she sobbed, stroking his pained, sweaty face. "Hold on!" She pressed as hand to the deep wound to stop the bleeding, but the red life-water still poured out of him. She'd never seen him so pale.

"Joey!" Serenity called, but her brother was far too busy keeping their attackers at bay. And Tristan's eyes were growing a little hazy already. "Tris, please hold on!"

A roar above her made Serenity look up. One soldier had slipped past Joey's defences and was now standing above her with his sword raised. Horror dawned in Serenity's eyes when she realized they couldn't escape. Tristan's eyes widened as well, but he was in too much pan to do anything.

Serenity bent over him when the sword started to descend towards them; protecting him with her own body. Joey spun around just in time to see this, and he gave a cry of denial, throwing himself towards them.

But it was already too late.

-

A pair of huge, black claws closed around the soldier's body, not lifting, but _throwing _him into the air. He screamed in terror, and the sword clattered to the ground beside Serenity. Her head snapped up, and she and Joey, along with many of the others in the crowd, watched the man be carried to a frightening height and then let go.

He landed on the castle-wall and broke his neck.

Joey could barely believe what he was seeing. Right there, soaring in the blue sky above the Domino castle, was Yami, looking just as majestic and frightening as usual. A telltale mop of black/violet/blond hair between his wings told Joey that Yugi was there as well.

"Yami!" He couldn't help but call. The name, as well as the relieved and happy tone, ripped their way out of his throat without his permission.

Yami was here! But that meant…

Joey never got the chance to finish that thought, because a roar from the direction of the gates caught his attention, and his heart jumped into his throat as he saw who it was.

Bakura (with Ryou dangling from his back), Marik, Malik and Mai were running through the gate straight into the courtyard, and immediately threw themselves into the fight. Mokuba glided in from the sky with Isis on his back. He had a large grin on his face when he landed in the middle of the courtyard, right beside Joey (everyone else had to move out of the way unless they wanted to get crushed) and let Isis slide off his back.

His eyes met Joey's, and his smiled didn't falter for a second.

"We finally found you guys!" he said before taking off into the air again, flying in the direction of his brother.

Isis fell to her knees beside Serenity and didn't spare the girl a single glance as she put her hands on Tristan's stomach. Healing magic poured out of her fingers, and Tristan gasped.

"We came as soon as we could!" She called to Joey, who was once again fighting off soldiers from left and right. Most of them had come out of their stupor by now, and was once again fighting like mad.

It was now, however, quite obvious that Téa's and Keith's soldiers were in a though position. Constantly, Yami swooped in from the sky, picking up one or two soldiers at a time and doing the same thing to them as he did to the first one. From his back, Yugi sent fireballs and boulders at their enemies, trying to avoid the citizens of Domino, even if it was hard.

Bakura had gone into his usual berserk-mode, and was slashing wildly around himself. Ryou stood on one side of him, fighting off aggressors the same way Yugi did. On Bakura's other side stood Marik, who looked just as deranged and happy. Next to Marik, Malik had found a sword and was defending himself bravely. Joey didn't see Mai anywhere, but it didn't matter.

"I am so glad to see you guys!" He called over his shoulder to Isis.

"Who are you?" Serenity asked Isis, who didn't answer. When Tristan groaned, the princess looked down at him fearfully. "What are you doing?!"

"He'll be okay," Isis said, and once she was done she stood up. "I think you'll be able to fight now."

The last part was directed at Tristan, who sat up, staring in disbelief at the smooth skin on his side. There wasn't even a scar.

"What the hell did you-"

"Questions later!" Isis said with a voice which left no room for arguments. She held out a sword to Tristan. "Help your brother."

Tristan didn't waste any time. As a knight, he'd spent many years taking orders, and now his body reacted automatically to such a demanding tone. He was on his feet within seconds, taking the word from her.

"Protect Serenity!" He told Isis before turning around to help Joey with a particularly nasty pair of soldiers, who simply refused to die, and was more skilled than the others.

-

Serenity watched all this, too shocked to say anything. It was all happening so fast… who _were _there people? How did they know Joey? Could she trust them?

When a hand grabbed her shoulder she was completely unprepared, and automatically yanked herself out of the hold with a scream. Isis was beside her immediately, but when Serenity turned around and saw who it was, she held up a hand to show the woman that it was okay.

Duke stood in front of her, covered in cuts and blood, and sweating. His emerald eyes were shining with worry.

"I can't find your mom!" he told Serenity, then dodged as someone attacked him, and cut the attackers hands off. "I lost her! She's somewhere around here!"

"We have to find her!" Serenity called and grabbed his hand, not caring if Isis followed or not as they dodged and fought their way through the crowd in search of a familiar female face or long hair.

* * *

Téa and Keith were stillstanding on the stage, looking down at the wreckage around them. The circle of soldiers they had gathered around themselves as protection had become very thin. '_Thin'_ as in '_nonexistent'_! Téa stood paralyzed, staring at the chaos which should have been her crowning. A thousand thoughts raced around in her head. Thoughts about how unfair it was, how close she had been, what the hell she was going to do now, how the hell this could have happened…

Any kind of leadership she might have possessed left her now, in the face of defeat, and Téa turned to her brother, needing his help.

But Keith wasn't there. While she had been stuck in her own confused feelings, he'd slipped away, obviously to escape.

She was all alone now.

"It's over, Téa."

She spun around and stood face to face with the king himself. He walked up the steps to the podium calmly, sword in hand and eyes fixed on the girl in front of him. Even though she was the very reason his city was in ruins and many of his people had died, his eyes were completely calm.

She stumbled away from him, holding her hands up in a vain attempt at protection.

"N-no!" She stuttered, fear, desperation, anger, pain and frustration flashing through her eyes, plain for anyone to see. And Rabastan saw.

"You're still very young," Rabastan told her, and his voice was neither threatening nor assuring. "Don't force me to kill such a young person."

"You think I prefer a life in prison over death?!" She spat, trying to seem angry, but she just seemed small. "Go fuck yourself!"

"You'll have to decide that on your own. If you resist, I _will _kill you," Rabastan said. "But as some wise man said: 'As long as there's life, there's hope'."

She took another step backwards, and promptly fell over the edge of the stage with a yelp. Rabastan walked over to the edge, looking down at her unconscious form on the cobblestone below. She'd hit her head.

Many of her soldiers saw Téa fall. But instead of throwing their weapons and giving up in the face of defeat, most of them panicked at the thought of being imprisoned. If anything, their resistance got even stronger, and Rabastan watched as the battles below him got even worse. Realizing that the situation had only gotten worse by taking down Téa, he gripped his sword once again and ran off the stage to help his family and people.

At the same time, Keith was sneaking thorough the masses, only killing those who got in his way.

He was making his way towards a smaller exit in the castle-wall, one which he was sure no one else knew about. He didn't feel any remorse at leaving his sister or companions behind. It was every man to himself now, and Keith didn't feel like sitting in jail for _anything_. Especially not some stupid scheme courtesy of his stupid sister! She could rot in hell for all he cared.

Throwing a few fighters out of the way, Keith finally saw the opening he had been looking for. It was on the east side of the main entrance, far from the dragon and witch or anyone else who might be a threat. He'd be able to sneak away, and then it wouldn't be hard to find a loose horse and get out of Domino. He'd travel to the Great Middle Ocean and take a boat to another continent. There, he'd start over, and never think about any dragons or crazy witches or stupid sisters ever again.

So caught up in his thoughts was Keith, that he almost didn't notice when someone stepped in his way. But once his eyes finally fixed on the person, he stopped dead in his tracks, and his eyes widened.

She was beautiful! Curvaceous body, long, thick, blond hair, an absolutely gorgeous face and the most amazing dark-violet eyes he'd ever seen.

Keith studied her from too to bottom for a moment, and then a leer spread on his face.

"Oh, I don't want to hurt _you_," he said, and his voice was a deep purr. He made sure she could see his sword, figuring that he'd just have to scare her a little to get her out of the way. Heck, maybe he could even take her with him! That would be wonderful!

She raised an eyebrow, then narrowed her eyes. Smirked.

"Too bad _that's_ not reciprocated," she said confidently, and then she made a gesture with her arms that Keith had seen Rebecca use on the night when they had captured the dragon.

His eyes only had time to widen in realization before he was thrown high into the sky by some invisible force. He spun through the air like a ragdoll, and in the end landed on top of one of the castle's many towers, where he lay lifelessly with blood dripping from his head.

-

Mai watched his flight with complete nonchalance, and then she turned and ran straight into the crowd of viciously fighting soldiers, citizens and other creatures. It was tough; the enemies were many, and she'd lost track of the others. Not that she was worried; they could take care of themselves, and so could she.

Still, as she dodged yet another airhead who tried to cut her head off, and then pressed her palm to his face, making black magic trickle into his body through his eyes, nose and mouth, she looked around to see if she could spot Joey. She'd seen Seto earlier; he was fighting the other witch on the castle-wall, and Mai had stayed out of it. She'd only had to take one look at the other witch to know that it was nothing she should get involves with; that sister was _way _out of her league, and Seto had it under control anyway… or well, _he_ was completely _out _of control, but he kept her at bay pretty well.

Joey, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. She had seen him when they arrived earlier- the others had too- but now he was gone. She was a little worried, but there were at least nine others looking for him as well, so he should be okay.

Suddenly, Mai bumped into someone in the crowd, and as she spun around, her gaze locked with Adhara's. She froze.

Her violet eyes widened in realization.

"Sister?" The word was a question and an exclamation at the same time.

Adhara nodded solemnly.

"Sister," she confirmed, and that was that. They shared a small, secret smile, then turned around and continued to fight, back to back; Mai with her magic, Adhara with a sword.

"Mom!" Someone suddenly yelled, and a girl- who bore a very strong resemblance to Mai's newfound sister- came rushing through the mob with a handsome but wounded young man and Isis behind her. As Adhara rushed over to the girl and embraced her tightly, Mai could only come to the conclusion that this was Joey's mother and sister.

Huh… so she had been right about his blood, after all!

"Have you seen your brother?" Adhara asked Serenity loudly to be heard over the noises of the courtyard-turned-battlefield. But before the girl could answer, two familiar voices could be heard over the noise.

"Mom! Serenity!"

"Duke!"

Joey came running from another direction, looking ragged and bloody but with blazing eyes, and his two swords still in his hands. Another young man, a brunette, was right behind him.

As soon as they were within reach, Serenity and Adhara embraced Joey tightly, and Duke and Tristan exchanged a smile and squeezed each others' shoulder.

"Where's grandpa?" Joey asked as soon as they separated again.

"I haven't seen him since Duke freed us, but I think he's okay," Adhara answered, still with her hands on Joey's shoulders. She noticed Isis standing silently behind her son, and her gaze flickered between the healer and Mai. "Joey… who are these people?"

"Friends," Joey answered with a smile, and squeezed the hands still resting on his shoulders. "I'll tell you the rest once we get out of here." His gaze flickered to Mai. "Thank you so much for everything. You guys saved our lives."

"What are friends for?" Mai answered with a grin and gave him a thumbs-up. Then she twirled around and shot a ball of black magic at a soldier who was rushing towards. He went down like a tree, shrieking for a moment before lying still and silent.

"I hate to interrupt, but what are we going to do now?" Duke asked, and for the first time Joey noticed how badly hurt he was. Tristan seemed to notice too, because he put an arm around his friend's shoulders and pressed his own hand to the deep wound on his arm, trying to stop the bleeding. Duke hissed, but didn't pull away.

"That's a very good question," Isis said and turned to the others. But before anyone had the chance to answer, they were interrupted.

"Hey!" A very happy voice suddenly said from behind Mai, and they all turned around to look.

Bakura, along with (naturally) Ryou, Marik and Malik, were standing there, covered in blood, but looking happier than ever before.

"Look what I found," the cursed white wolf chirped, and stepped aside. Joey and Serenity's eyes widened.

"Grandpa!"

Rabastan looked very, very disgruntled where he stood between the wolf and the werewolf (who were both at least a head taller than him). At the sight of his family, his face brightened a little, only to quickly be replaced with a look of determination.

"I want a full explanation of all this when it's over," he told Joey, even as he stepped over and gave his grandson a large hug. "Right now, we need to get your sister and mother to safety."

"Agreed," Joey said with a smile. Even in this grave situation, it was a relief to see his beloved grandfather.

"Okay, so…" Rabastan wasted no time. He turned to Adhara and Serenity with a look which clearly said 'Argue, and you will regret it'. "You two need to get back inside the castle, and fast! I don't want you to go alone, though. The rest of us will stay out here and keep fighting. These soldiers are really getting desperate, and desperate people are dangerous."

And he was right. Throughout their conversation, they had been forced to fight off constant attackers, even though it was quite obvious to anyone who cared to look that they were too strong for anyone to take down. Mai, Bakura, Marik, Malik, Joey, Tristan, Duke and Rabastan had instinctively formed a circle around the other four, providing them with some protection.

"It's not much of a plan," Rabastan continued as he fought off another aggressor. "But it's the best we have right now. With the dragon caught up in that fight with the witch," a burst of flame rose towards the sky on the other side of the battlefield; it was only one of many, "it's up to the rest of us."

"I'll be happy to escort your sister and mother," Mai told Joey. She wanted to get to know her newfound sister a little better. "I'll protect them."

"I know you will," Joey said.

"I'll go too," Isis cut in. "I'm not a warrior, after all. But first…" she touched a hand to Duke's back, and he gasped as his wounds started to heal. Ten seconds, and he was okay. Not everything was healed, but it was a clear improvement. Isis nodded in satisfaction. "Be careful! All of you!"

"I want the wolf and mage to go too," Rabastan said, glancing at Bakura. "I'll take no chances with my grandchild and daughter-in-law!"

"That fucker is bossier than Seto," Bakura muttered so the king wouldn't hear, and Ryou slapped his back lightly.

"Is that's it? Does anyone wanna say something else?" Joey asked and dodged a spear which sailed by. No one said anything. "Good! Then _go_!"

The circle shattered.

Adhara and Serenity led the way towards the castle, followed closely by Isis and Ryou, and surrounded by Bakura and Mai. Joey watched them go with anxiousness; he wanted to protect his family by himself, but he knew he had to help out here. There were still a lot of soldiers around, and they were fighting more than ever. Besides; he trusted Bakura and Mai with this. Didn't stop him from worrying, though.

A large shadow swooped by above him, and when Joey looked up he saw Yami sail by, with Yugi still on his back.

Struck by sudden inspiration, Joey crushed his current opponent's nose with an elbow and waved at the hawk.

"Yugi!" he screamed. "Keep an eye on my family for me, okay?"

As if through a miracle, Yugi heard him. Joey saw the small mage give him a thumbs-up, but he didn't even have time to feel triumph, because he was once again swallowed in the fight; Tristan, Duke and Rabastan beside him, and Marik and Malik close by.

* * *

Seto released another breath of fire at the witch, but of course, she just shielded herself from it, like she always did.

He knew fire wouldn't work on her, but he needed some kind of distraction so he could get close enough to crush her. Unfortunately, the little cockroach was as fast as she was small, and this far, he had only managed to destroy Joey's home town. He was well aware of this, but at the same time, he was the only one who could take on this girl, and he'd never be able defeat her if he held back.

He could only hope Joey wouldn't be too angry….

"Seto!" He made a sweeping motion with his wing, and once again Rebecca's attack was cut off as if it had been nothing but dust. Seto's gaze flickered to his younger brother, who was standing half behind him, half beside him, and was firing his own fire at Rebecca.

Seto had been horrified when Mokuba shown up in the middle of his fight with the witch. He'd been happy to see him, of course, but to have Mokuba in the middle of all this was the _last _thing he wanted! As if it wasn't enough that Joey was involved…

"What are you doing here?!" Had been his greeting, but Mokuba's grin hadn't faltered at all at the harsh tone.

"Mai found you!" he answered and dodged a wayward lightning bolt. "Apparently this witch used some kind of transportation-spell that Mai could track! Took us a while to get here, but now we're gonna help out!"

"Not in this fight!" Seto snarled, pausing to release another attack at Rebecca. "It's far too dangerous for you. Go hide somewhere, and _DON'T GET INVOLVED_!"

"I can fight!" Mokuba answered, and for the first time, a frown showed on his face.

"I'm not willing to risk you!" Seto jumped to the side when a huge piece of the wall was thrown at him, and this made him end up pressed to his younger brother. Their eyes met.

"Stay out of the way, so I don't have to worry," he hissed close to Mokuba's face, then put an arm over his brother's head and pressed it and his own to the ground to avoid another burst of black magic.

The brothers sprung apart as Rebecca released another attack seconds after that one, and without really thinking, Mokuba took a deep breath and hurled a pillar of fire at the witch, who had to block once again.

Seto stared at him, wide-eyed.

"How long have you known how to do that?"

Mokuba grinned sheepishly.

"Since… this moment?"

Seto didn't have time to dwell on that. Three attacks came flying at the same time, and he had to use both his wings and one paw to block them. He glanced at Mokuba, who stood half behind him, protected.

"Stay out of the way as much as you can, and never leave my side," he ordered in a growl, and Mokuba's face lit up again. For Mokuba, who was fluent in Seto-speak, it was obvious that his brother had just given him permission to help.

"Thanks, Seto!" he chirped, as if this was lunchtime and Seto had just brought him a dead cow.

Rolling his eyes, Seto directed his attention back at the fight, knowing Mokuba would obey him.

Seto didn't know how long he and Mokuba had been fighting the witch now, but he knew the battle on the courtyard was still raging, and Joey was somewhere in the middle of it along with the rest of the gang. He wanted to go to them… he didn't have time for this stupid little girl! Why couldn't she just die?!

"Seto!" Mokuba's smile was gone now. He looked like he was growing tired, which wasn't all that strange: he was young, and this was an extremely strong enemy. "Nothing we do work. What does it take to stop that girl?"

Seto didn't answer; just wished he had an answer to give. His sharp eyes were fixed on the girl who was standing on the other side of a large hole they had created in the castle-wall, unblinking and intense; as if he was trying to _see _her weaknesses with his eyes only.

Her body was surrounded by a black, glowing fog, and her feet were hovering a few millimetres above the ground. More than once, she'd taken giant leaps than no human being should have been able to accomplish, to avoid Seto's dangerous paws or tail. She was fast… she was strong… she was clever… so how the hell were they going to defeat her?

Unknown to Seto, Rebecca wasn't as unmoved as she looked. Her face and clothes were dirty, her hair was a mess, and she was panting heavily.

Never in her whole life had Rebecca encountered an enemy this strong. This dragon was her worst nightmare come to life, and she didn't know for how much longer she would be able to keep going. Her magic was already trembling slightly inside her body, and for the first time in a long time, Rebecca felt a sliver of fear pierce her heart. What would her queen and sisters think if she was killed by a _dragon_?! They'd be so disappointed!

"Damnit!" she swore to herself as she had to block another burst of fire and her knees started to shake slightly. This was getting out of hand!

It was a simple twist of fate that Rebecca would throw a quick glance to the side at that very moment.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a small group of people moving towards the castle. She recognized the queen and princess, and saw the blond and black-haired women accompanying them, but that wasn't what made her freeze on the spot and clench her hands into fists.

It was the huge wolf-man who followed them. An electric current travelled up her spine at the sight of him, and suddenly the dragons didn't seem all that important anymore.

She turned her attention back to her current opponent just in time to jump backwards as the dragon's tail came crashing down on the wall. She made an elegant somersault in the air and landed on top of one of the few wall-towers they hadn't destroyed yet. Her eyes met Seto's cold blue sapphires, and she smirked.

"It's been fun!" she called to him, starting to make small gestures with her hands. "But I'm afraid I've found something more interesting to play with for the moment. See you later, freak!"

And in a cloud of black magic she was gone; transported.

"She gave up?" Mokuba asked as he stepped up beside his brother.

"She said she had something else to do, but I doubt it's the last we see of her," Seto said gravely. "I wonder what she is going to d-"

He was cut off as Mokuba jumped onto his back and wrapped his paws around his neck from behind. Seto gave a small grunt of surprise and glanced at his brother with a raised eyebrow.

"Mokuba?"

"I was so worried," Mokuba said softly and nuzzled his throat.

Realization dawned in Seto's eyes, and with an almost invisible smile he folded his wings over his brother protectively.

"I didn't mean to worry you."

They stayed in silence for a moment, basking in the relief of seeing each other again, as well as the brotherly love they always had and always would share.

"Come on," Seto said at last, straightening a little and allowing Mokuba to slip off his back. "The others need our help."

"Yeah," Mokuba said, and there was his lovely smile again. "They're all hopeless without us!"

Seto couldn't stop a small smirk from spreading on his face, and with a chuckle, he led the way towards the full-blown battle.

* * *

The silence in the castle was almost deafening compared to the alarm on the courtyard. Only the sounds if their footsteps on the marble-floor could be heard as Adhara, Serenity, Isis, Mai, Bakura and Ryou hurried down the corridor.

"Where are we going?" Ryou called to Adhara, who was running down the hall with Serenity beside her and Isis and Mai right behind her. Ryou and Bakura ran last in the line.

"There is an armory a few floors further down!" Adhara called over her shoulder. "You will be able to provide the others with better weapons."

"No offence, missy, but I don't think that's what they need," Bakura told her. "What we need is a-"

Bakura never finished that sentence. He cut himself of abruptly and stopped dead, making Ryou screech to a halt. He turned around and his eyes fixed on the end of the corridor they had just run through. His eyes were _burning_.

"What's wrong, Bakura," Ryou asked confusedly, and now Isis, Mai, Serenity and Adhara stopped as well.

"There's something familiar…" Bakura murmured, and then he froze as the sound of footsteps echoed between the walls.

Rebecca rounded the corner at the end of the corridor and stood face to face with the wolf. She looked completely calm again, and even though she still looked a bit ruffled, her magic didn't show any signs of weakness anymore. As always when she was excited, black lightning danced around her fingers, and as usual she shook her hands to make it disappear. Her eyes were glowing darkly.

Bakura's eyes widened at her smirk.

"I never, in my wildest fantasies, thought I'd encounter _you _in a place like this," Rebecca spoke calmly, and there seemed to be something darker in her voice. Ryou shivered at the sound, and Bakura trembled for a completely different reason. "I'm impressed that you're even alive," her smirk turned mocking, "although I'm not very impressed by what you have become. Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

Bakura's reaction came so fast Ryou didn't have time to react. He snarled with pure hatred and fury, and quite literally threw himself at the girl, not even caring to stand on two legs anymore. He sped at her on all fours like the animal he had been transformed into, and leaped with teeth and claws bared, ready to tear and kill his prey.

A sweep of Rebecca's hand, a flash, and Bakura hit the wall to her left with a boom, making it collapse on top of him.

"_Bakura_!" Ryou screamed and started running towards him without a single glance at the girl who had done it to him. His mind, body, soul and heart, his very _being_, was completely set on reaching his loved one.

"Pathetic," Rebecca remarked calmly, staring at the large pile of stone covering Bakura. After a second she turned her eyes toward Ryou, who was coming straight at her. Her smirk returned. "You're not even strong enough to save your lover anymore."

She raised a hand to do the same thing to Ryou, but before she got the chance, a pair of sharp claws buried themselves in her hair from behind, and yanked hard!

Screaming in pain and surprise, and clutching at her scalp, Rebecca made the claws let go, and she watched as Yami- in his smaller shape, since the larger didn't fit in the castle- flew passed her and made a U-turn back towards her. For a moment her black eyes flashed with anger and insanity, then her calm mask was back on and she smirked again.

"And there's the king himself," she remarked and straightened, letting go of her still stinging head. "Like a letter on the mail. And you look even more pathetic than your general!"

Yami regarded her calmly, without saying anything, and after a moment, Rebecca started to walk towards him. At the same time, Yugi and Ryou helped each other move the rocks aside to get to Bakura.

"I would ask how you survived my attack, but I don't really care," Rebecca told him, and once again the magic was dancing around her fingers. "I'm just happy to have found you; now I have the chance to kill you once more."

"You didn't succeed the first time, so what makes you think you will be able to this time," Yami remarked, and then he took flight, heading straight for Rebecca again.

She fired a ball of magic at him, and Yami agilely avoided it. But he wasn't prepared for the second one, which she let loose immediately after the first one. It hit him straight in the face, and much like Bakura, he was thrown into a wall with such force that it left a large dent.

This, of course, caught Yugi's attention.

"Yami!" he abandoned Ryou, who was just pulling Bakura out of the pile and onto the floor, cradling him protectively while his body trembled with sobs.

Yami lay like a broken pile of feathers on the floor, unmoving and with closed eyes. Yugi fell down beside him and reached out with both hands, but stopped. He didn't dare life the bird; he might break something more.

"No wonder your people was extinguished," Rebecca said, and then let her gaze flicker from Yugi and Yami, to the pathetic sight of Ryou and Bakura, and then to the women, who were still standing a few metres away with wide and terrified eyes. Her glowing eyes stopped on Mai.

"Traitors before freaks," she hissed, and started walking towards Mai and the other women.

Mai, in turn, understood what the girl was thinking. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, channelling her magic even though this was a fight she couldn't win.

"Isis, take the princess and queen and run," she told her friend, but Isis didn't move.

"We're not leaving you five here to die," Isis told her, and Mai swore inwardly when she understood from the healer's tone that she was serious.

Rebecca's first attack came swiftly, and even though Mai put up a shield, it felt like a giant sledgehammer hit her. She stumbled back a few steps, and barely had time to once more protect herself as the next one came.

"You won't be able to win if you just keeps blocking," Rebecca called to her in between the cracks and hisses of her magic. "You have to work on you _offence_!"

The last word was accompanied by a particularly violent attack, which shattered Mai's shield as if it wasn't there and hurled the woman backwards into the wall behind Adhara and Serenity.

"Ow…" Serenity heard her moan, but then everything was silent as Mai lost consciousness.

Isis was dealt with even quicker; having no magic such as that, all Rebecca had to do was wave her hand to throw the healer out of the way.

And then there was nothing standing between her and Adhara and Serenity.

The queen stepped in front of her daughter, meeting the other witch's eyes steadily. She refused to show any of the fear and desperation she felt on the inside, even though she as a hairbreadth away from fainting.

"Bravery won't save you now, my dear," Rebecca supplied helpfully, and just to show it was true, she made another small gesture, and Adhara and Serenity fell to the floor, held down by invisible but strong bonds.

Slowly, the insane girl-who-wasn't-really-a-girl made her way over so that she was standing right in front of the two. She had given up on keeping her magic from dancing around her fingers, and it had expanded to the size of small, black clouds. Adhara and Serenity had managed to drag themselves over to each other, and were lying closely pressed together with their arms around each other.

Adhara looked up at Rebecca, and this time she couldn't keep the fear out of her eyes.

"I told you that you were going to die today," Rebecca said softly and raised her hands, ready for the final, killing strike.

Everything happened so fast after that.

Yugi, Ryou and Isis watched the nightmare unfold with wide eyes, but none of them were able to move; they couldn't muster the strength needed to get up. The witch released her magic, throwing it in a giant wave at the queen and princess of Domino. Adhara saw it coming with wide, terrified eyes, and did what any loving mother would.

She threw her arms over her daughter, protecting her with her own body, knowing it wouldn't work, but unable to resist.

Unknown to Adhara and everyone else, her maternal instinct awoke something inside her. Something she had been denying her whole life, and hadn't really thought she possessed anymore. But now it surged to life with all the energy of someone well-rested, and without realizing it, Adhara created a shining, golden shield around herself and her daughter.

Rebecca's magic hit the shield, and with a strange, bouncing sound, it flared and turned back, heading straight at its own caster.

Rebecca didn't even have time to widen her eyes before the powerful energy engulfed her, and with one last scream of pain and fury, she exploded in billions of small, invisible particles.

A strange sense of calm was left in the wake of her scream. For a moment, Adhara and Serenity didn't move, and neither did anyone else. But then the golden shield around the two faded, and they leaned away a little, staring into each other's eyes, before embracing again, this time in relief.

A sudden light made the look up, and their eyes widened as they saw Yugi, Yami, Ryou and Bakura disappear on a blinding flash of white light.

It took a few seconds for the flash to disappear, and another few moments for their eyes to adjust, but when Adhara and Serenity, along with Isis, Yugi and Ryou, could finally see again, they barely believed their eyes.

On the floor, right beside Yugi, laid a man on his stomach. There wasn't a single trace of the hawk; only a slender body, wild black, violet and blond hair in the same style as Yugi's, and smooth tanned skin.

When he opened his eyes though, there was no mistaking those blood-red orbs.

"Y-Yami?" Yugi stuttered, shaking violently as he placed a hand on the man's back. Yami groaned on pain, and Yugi's dazed eyes snapped back to reality. He turned to Isis. "Isis! Are you okay? Can you help him?"

The woman took a deep breath and stood up- on _very_ shaky legs- to wobble over to him.

A few metres further away, another, similar scene played out as Ryou stared down at the silver-haired, scarred, unconscious (extremely handsome) man in his arms, where his wolf-like protector had been only seconds before.

"Bakura?" he whispered with his breath stuck in his throat, and the man groaned and opened his eyes.

Ryou knew right away that it was his Bakura.

"Ryou…?" Bakura looked confused and dizzy, but he managed to lift a large (fur-free) hand to stroke the boy's tear-stained cheek. When he realized just how fur-free his hand was, he held it up in front of himself for a moment, staring at it. He touched one hand to his own face, feeling no fur… no snout… no fangs…

"Yes!" he breathed when he realized what had happened. "_Yes_! I've bee waiting for this for so long…. _Yes_!"

"Bakura?" Ryou asked again, and he still hadn't let go of the other man. "What- mmmph!"

He froze as Bakura pulled him down and kissed him passionately, but soon his eyes slid closed and he kissed back eagerly. His brain screamed at him to stop, to ask what the hell was going on… but the rest of him had been longing for this for so long, Ryou was unable to resist.

"I love you…" Bakura growled as they finally broke the kiss, and his voice was the same as it always had been, as were his eyes and expressions. "You're mine."

"Yes," Ryou whispered, blushing and leaning into the hand which was once again stroking his face. "I will always be yours."

Adhara and Serenity turned and looked at each other, and they understood exactly what the other was thinking.

Joey had a whole lot of explaining to do.

* * *

A terrible, terrible head-ache was the first thing Keith registered as he came to. Groaning, he touched a hand to his forehead and held it up in front of him. It was covered in blood.

Not knowing where he was or how he got there, he dragged himself into a sitting position, and had to stop and breathe as dizziness washed over him. After a few minutes, he was strong enough to stand on his knees and look around.

He had an excellent view of the courtyard, and the battle which was still going on down there. There were countless of fighters running around; even the dragon had joined the fight now, and for a moment, Keith wondered what the hell was going on, before it all came back to him.

Clutching his head with one hand and his stomach with the other, he bent over and puked over the edge of the roof he was sitting on. He wasn't sure if the nausea came from the concussion he no doubt had, or the truth that hit him hard.

They had lost. They had well and truly lost. And Keith hadn't even been able to save himself. He would surely get caught now! He'd go to jail at best; be executed at worst! His stupid sister and the witch had pulled him down with them, and there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing!

A sudden anger gripped Keith. A violent, unexplainable anger which pushed all thoughts of concussions aside. He sat up straight again. Lifting his gaze, he stared at the dragon, which was roaring and sweeping around himself with his large paws, making soldiers run away from him screaming.

This had all happened because of that dragon. He'd get caught and probably executed because of that stupid dragon! If they hadn't gone after it when it kidnapped the prince… if it hadn't somehow managed to escape… if it wasn't so fucking _strong_… everything came down to that stupid _lizard_!

Well, he wasn't going to stand for that.

Keith suddenly remembered the quiver he had strapped on his back. The quiver with the magical arrows that Rebecca had given him…. She'd said it would kill the dragon without problem… and he _did _have his bow on his back as well… not to mention the perfect view…

Keith smirked started unstrapping his bow.

-

At the same time, Joey and his friends were still engaged in the violent fight. But now, finally, their enemies were starting to grow weaker. There weren't that many soldiers left, and some of them had finally realized how screwed they were, and given up. The ones still resisting either had a death-wish, or were too caught up in the battle to notice that they were loosing.

Joey buried one of his blades in another man's chest, and kicked the corpse away from himself with a cry of triumph. Finally catching his breath, he looked up and studied his surroundings.

Duke and Tristan were just finishing their opponents a few metres to his left, Rabastan, Marik and Malik were at the other end of the courtyard, still fighting, but no longer surrounded by soldiers, Mokuba were sailing through the air above them, every now and then spitting a fire-ball at any soldier he could find…

…and Seto stood right in front of him, only a few metres away, looking back at him with his deep, sharp, bluer than blue eyes. He had blood-stains on his white scales and claws, but to Joey he didn't look terrifying at all.

To Joey, he was just as beautiful as always, and the blond shivered under his gaze. He was finally becoming aware of his own ragged, blood-covered appearance; his dirty and torn clothes, his stained face, and his bloody swords. For the first time in a while, Joey felt self-conscious about his looks.

But then Seto smirked at him- one of those soft, barely-there smirks which Joey had learnt to love- and all insecurities just left him. On their own accord, the corners of Joey's mouth pulled up into a small smile, and he felt something inside him jump when Seto slowly walked over, so that they were standing close together. Joey looked up at him, and felt his soul tremble.

Relief, triumph, happiness and love washed over him in warm, calm waves as those eyes looked at him. Everything wasn't perfect; there was a lot to do still, but it was okay, because they were here, they were alive, and they had won. He was vaguely aware of his friends finishing off the last soldiers. Of Mokuba landing a few metres away and watching them with a happy, gentle smile. Tristan, Duke, Malik, Marik and Rabastan all watched the scene with different expressions; Tristan and Rabastan with confusion, Duke with shocked understanding, Marik with a lecherous grin on his face, and Malik with a good-natured roll of his eyes.

At the same time, Mai shuffled out of the castle through the entrance, feeling sore and tried, but okay after Isis' magic. Serenity and Adhara were close behind her. The others weren't with them; Yami had had so many broken bones that it would take Isis quite some time to heal him, and Bakura wasn't much better off. Naturally, Yugi and Ryou refused to leave them, but Serenity and Adhara had been far too worried about the rest of their family to stay inside. Mai knew that the situation for the four boys had been bad, but she was also completely certain that Isis would be able to help Yami and Bakura, and so she had chosen to go outside and see if any more of their friends had gotten hurt.

A small, relieved smile spread on her face when she took in the sight in front of her. There were bodies all over the courtyard- some moving, some not- and the castle-wall was almost completely destroyed, but they had _won; s_he could tell from the looks on Joey and Seto's faces as they stood in the middle of all the destruction, and had eyes for nothing but each other.

"Are you alright?" Seto asked at last, and Joey shivered slightly. It felt as if it had been years since he'd heard Seto's voice, even though it hadn't even been a day.

"I should ask you that," he answered, voice soft and shaky.

Seto's little smirk stayed in place, and he lowered his head a little, allowing Joey to reach up and put a hand to his muzzle. They didn't have to say anything more.

Mai smiled at the sight. Everything would be okay.

That's when she saw it.

-

Her head snapped to the side, and for a moment, Mai just stared at the man, lying on top of one of the castle-towers with a bow and arrow at the ready. The tip of the arrow was pointing straight at…

"_Look out_!"

Her scream sounded like a siren in the now silent courtyard, and everyone jumped in surprise and looked up at her. Not caring about her still slightly injured body, Mai threw a ball of magic straight at the archer.

Keith heard her scream too, but his brain had already sent the order to his hand, and his fingers let go of the arrow. Less than a second later, Mai's attack hit, and blew the whole tower sky-high.

He didn't feel anything.

But the arrow survived. As if in slow-motion, Mai, Serenity, Adhara, Mokuba, Malik, Marik and Rabastan saw it zoom straight at Seto, who had been alerted by Mai's scream as well. He stood up straighter and turned around to see what was going on…

It was hard to say which was louder: Mokuba's and Joey's cries of denial, or Seto's roar of pain.

That small, insignificant piece of wood hit Seto right in the side of his neck, penetrating his scales as if they had been made of jelly and burying itself deep, deep in his flesh, where Rebecca's evil magic- the last remains of the girl- immediately set to work on poisoning his body. It could be compared to when water pours into a sinking ship; violent, unstoppable and devastating.

On the outside, Seto clutched at his neck with one hand, while he tried to keep himself on his feet as a sudden dizziness washed over him.

"Seto!" Mokuba screamed, his voice a sound of pure agony, and Joey stood with his mouth open, unable to get a single word out. Mai threw herself down the stairs with Serenity and Adhara running behind, and all the others also move closer, wanting to help their friend, but unable to.

It only took a few seconds, and then Seto was falling over onto his belly. A few more, and he couldn't keep his head up anymore.

Joey watched his worst nightmare unfold; his beloved, invincible dragon falling down in pain and fatigue. He wasn't aware that he'd moved, but suddenly Joey was sitting on his knees in front of Seto's head, with both his hands on his muzzle, trying to pour his own strength and healthiness into Seto. But the dragon's eyes were already growing foggy.

"Seto… Seto, hold on!" Joey gasped to him. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't remember how to breathe. Beside him, Mokuba gave a sound Joey had never head before, but understood all too well. "We'll fix this… just hold on… Seto, please…" he whipped around and stared at his friends' shocked faces without really seeing them. "Isis! Get Isis! Quickly! MOVE IT!"

He didn't stop to see if anyone did as he ordered (Malik did), but turned back around and stared caressing Seto's muzzle as a vain attempt at comfort, while not only their friends, but all the remaining citizens of Domino gathered around them in a large circle, watching with sad eyes.

"Seto… please…" Mokuba sobbed, and Joey had never heard him sound so young and small before. "Please hold on… we're getting help…"

"Mokuba…" Seto managed to gasp, and he _forced _his eyes to focus on his brother. His claws twitched as if he was trying to reach up and touch the younger dragon, but he couldn't feel his body anymore. Mokuba's tears came harder.

"Seto…"

"Love you… more than… always will…" he blinked violently, because his eyes were starting to darken. Joey was sitting there, caressing him and chanting meaningless words that he couldn't hear himself, over and over again. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were hollow and panicked at the same time; he saw only Seto.

"It's going to be okay, love," he whispered to Seto, leaning his forehead against the dragon's muzzle like he had done the night before, in the rain. "It's going to be okay. Just hold on. It's going to be okay. Isis is on her way. It's going to be okay. It's going to be-"

_Where the hell was Isis?!_ He whipped around again, searching wildly with his eyes after the healer, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Isis! ISIS! What's taking her so long!?"

Couldn't she understand that this was IMPORTANT?! Oh gods, he was getting desperate. Please… _please… PLEASE! _

"Seto…" Mai showed up beside the dragon's head, and caressed him the same way Joey did. "Hold on a little longer. I know you can do it! Isis is on her way!"

Joey didn't know what to do. Someone put a hand on his shoulder, but he lashed out and pushed it away.

"Don't touch me!" He snapped without looking at the person. "I can't… don't… Seto, please…"

"Joey…" and his attention was once again completely fixed on Seto.

"Take… care… Mokuba…" it was obvious that he was struggling to speak. Mokuba had hidden his face in his brother's neck, and his scaly body was shaking terribly. Joey felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside.

"You mean… so… much… to…"

Slowly, like a heart-wrenching tune, Seto's voice grew weaker until it stopped completely, and along with his voice his eyelids dropped. He pulled in one last breath, and when he let it out again, warm air washed over Joey, and the boy was reminded of a night not so long ago, when all of them found shelter on a small island in the middle of a storm, and Seto had used his breath to dry him up after the rain…

But now there were no more warm breaths. No soft 'hn's… no deep breathing… no barely audible snoring… no heart-beat…

How could people think that the dead looked like they were sleeping? To Joey, the difference was devastating.

"Seto…" Mokuba scratched at his brother's scales with his claws, like a lost puppy. "C-come back… please…"

Joey closed his eyes.

And the scream of pain he let out echoed in all of Domino.

**Okay, this turned out a whole lot longer than I first thought it would! But there was just no good place to split it, and I don't think you guys would have appreciated it if I did, anyway. **

**And since I know a bunch of people are gonna ask: YES, SETO REALLY IS DEAD! At first I was gonna kill Joey, but then I changed my mind and made it Seto instead. You're free to hate me now! God knows I do! T.T**

**List of Inspirational Music for this chapter: **

"**8 Easy Steps" by Alanis Morissette, "The end of All Hope" by Nightwish, "Disenchanted" by My Chemical Romance, and "Now Comes the Night" by Rob Thomas. **

**I like music, okay?! But these songs are all awesome, so go check them out! **

**Holy… SHIT! **

**This chapter… it was the hardest thing I have ever (EVER!!!) written! There was just so much going on… so many things I needed to include… and I didn't know where to put what and... and all the emotions and descriptions and and and… MY BRAIN HAS EXPLODED! DX **

**Nah, seriously though; this was a PAIN IN THE ASS to write! So I'd really, really, really, really, really, really appreciate it if you guys left me a review! If you like it, please say so (any WHY you like it!). If it sucks, please, tell me what I can change to make it better.**

**Truly, I'd appreciate it. I worked my ass off, believe me! **

**Okay, I'm too tired to say anything more, and I REALLY gotta get started on an assignment which is supposed to be done tomorrow. As per usual, thank you to all those who reviewed last time! See you in the next chapter!**

**R&R!!! **

**ONLY ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO! DX **


	34. Soulmate

Chapter thirty-three: Soulmate

_Who doesn't long for someone to hold__?  
Who knows how to love you without being told  
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own  
If there's a soulmate for everyone_

Isis and Malik managed to push their way through the sea of people which had gathered around Seto, and when Isis gazed upon the terrible sight of Seto, lying still and silent with his eyes closed; looking like he was sleeping, with Joey and Mokuba resting against his body, shaking and sobbing violently, her body froze, and her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh gods!" she breathed, and at the next moment, she was at their side, her hands pressed firmly to Seto's face next to Joey's. Not even a second later her whole body started to glow as she poured all the healing magic in her body into him. Joey and Mokuba watched all this with lost and desperate looks on their faces, and big, dark, watery eyes. Mokuba sniffled pitifully, and Joey leaned into him, in an attempt to give them both comfort.

Slowly, all the small scrapes and bruises on Seto's body started to heal. The terrible wound inflicted by the arrow started to heal over, slowly pushing the piece of wood out of his body as tissue, flesh and nerves closed, joined and healed. The poison which had killed him was engulfed by Isis' healing powers and disappeared without a trace. Barely a minute later Seto was lying there; still covered in blood, but without a single scratch on his body.

Yet his eyes stayed closed.

As the light of her magic faded, Isis gave a heartbroken sob and fell forward onto him, leaning her forehead against Seto's muzzle as she wept.

"Why did you stop?" Joey asked frantically, gripping her shoulder painfully and shaking it. Malik made an attempt to get him away from his sister, but Marik grabbed him and shook his head, with an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. "Don't stop!"

"There's nothing more I can do…" Isis whispered between gasps, and didn't care how violently Joey was shaking her.

"No!"

"It's too late…"

"_No!_"

"He's gone, Joey. Not all the healing powers in the world can make a soul return to the body once it has left."

"You have to get him back!" Joey hissed at her, his eyes wild. "Isis! He can't be gone! Please! Please…"

"Isis…" Mokuba whispered, his tears coming harder than ever. "I… I wish he'd come back. I wish Seto was alive… please…"

But the healer just sobbed harder and shook her head.

"It's not the right one, Mokuba."

"It's the only thing I want!"

"It's not the right wish…"

"What use is that wish when it can't give me what I want?!" Mokuba pressed himself harder against his brother and sobbed like the injured soul he was. "Oh god, Seto, please… don't leave me here… I can't… _please_!"

"Mokuba…" Still crying, Isis put a hand on the drakling's neck, and next thing she knew, he'd pressed his head into her chest, soaking her dress in seconds. But of course, she didn't care. She just wrapped her arms around him to the best of her ability, considering their differences in size, and held him like a mother.

Joey had given up on talking. He was pressing his forehead to Seto's muzzle again, and he had his eyes squeezed shut tightly as he shook his head slowly, trying to tell himself this wasn't true… that he'd wake up soon, in his bed in the mountain, and none of this would be real… Set would be alive… they would be together…

It just wasn't fair! There was so much they hadn't done and said… how the hell could it end like this?! They had won, goddamnit! They had won; the bad guys were defeated, and then Seto… it just couldn't be true… how was he supposed to go on like this? He wanted a cliff, so he could throw himself off of it… god, he already missed him…

"I love you…" Joey's voice wasn't more than a soft exhalation of breath, but he knew Seto would have heard him, if he had been alive.

Only he wasn't.

Yami and Bakura, leaning a little on Yugi and Ryou, had just limped out of the castle and stood among everyone else in the circle around the dead dragon and the two creatures who loved him the most.

Ryou gave a sob and hid his face in Bakura's side. The ex-wolf just squeezed his mate harder, not knowing if it was to comfort Ryou or himself. Yugi made no attempt to hide his tears. He was trembling, but didn't sob; just let the liquid slide down his cheeks silently. He was squeezing Yami's hand, and the king of mages stood silently with a deep, deep sorrow colouring his eyes.

Mai stood beside them with shaking, clenched fists and closed eyes, breathing deeply to keep her own tears at bay. Marik and Malik watched it all silently, seriously.

Duke and Tristan had both tried to touch Joey, and had both been slapped away. Now they stood behind their friend with Adhara, Serenity and Rabastan, looking sad and tried. Slowly, Duke's hand found Tristan's, and they just stood there, watching, with fingers linked slightly.

Serenity sobbed softly and dabbed at her eyes, and Rabastan had a pained look on his face as he looked at his grandson. Adhara sniffled once, took a deep breath to get a hold of herself, the slowly walked up to her son, putting a hand on his shoulder.

As expected, Joey struck out once more, far too gone in his own pain to care about or realize who it was.

"Don't touch me!" He screamed and pressed even closer to Seto, trying to absorb the dragon's still lingering warmth.

Adhara refused to give up, despite the tears which were threatening to fall form her eyes. She fell to her knees and resolutely grabbed Joey's shoulders, forcefully dragging him backwards to her chest. He flailed and screamed desperately for a moment, and she had a hard time keeping a hold of him. But eventually he gave a strange, inhuman whine of pain and sagged onto her embrace, turning around and burying his face in her shoulder like a small child.

Adhara just held him.

"It's so unfair, mom!" He gasped, sounding like he couldn't breathe, and Adhara stroked his back and hummed softly into his hair, not saying anything. Serenity fell to her knees beside them and embraced Joey as well, but he didn't seem to notice. "I never wanted… he was never supposed to be here… I… I want him back… please… give him back… by the gods… I… back… please…"

He trailed off in a long string of gibberish after that, and Adhara sat silently and held her oldest child, trying to keep her own pain at bay. She couldn't stand to see him like this. Not Joey… not her strong, lovable, beautiful boy…. He was right; it wasn't fair.

"Give him back… please… love him…"

"Oh, Joey," Serenity whispered into his neck, looking just as heartbroken as Adhara felt.

The queen raised her gaze for a moment, taking in the people around her. She studied the strange men with white and black hair, who both had a boy holding them lovingly. She saw the tears… the pain; they had lost a dear friend here today.

Her gaze travelled to her newfound blond sister; the other witch looked just as pained as the mages. The two blond men beside her looked sad as well, but trying to keep it together for everyone's sake.

Last, but not least, she looked at the smaller dragon, and the dark-haired woman who was holding him so tightly. Even though he was larger than Adhara, he looked so small and helpless. And now he was all alone in the world. He had no one…

"Seto…" the bundle of despair in her arms whispered, and Joey's trembles sent strong vibrations into Adhara's body. She had never seen him like this. Not even when his father died. "Please… I can't… you can't leave us… come back… give him back… please…"

And just like that, she realized what the dragon had been for Joey. What he meant. Suddenly, everything was so simple.

Taking another deep breath, Adhara closed her eyes and leaned down a little, so her lips were at Joey's ear.

"Alright…" she whispered softly, and before Joey had a chance to understand what she had said, she'd leaned back and taken his face between her hands. She looked straight in his eyes, and smiled through her tears.

"All I ever wanted…" a kiss to his forehead. "Was to see you happy." Her gaze travelled to Serenity, who was, just like Joey, looking at her in mild surprise. Adhara smiled, pulled her closer and kissed her daughter's forehead as well. "Both of you."

"Mom…" Joey rasped, his voice raw and trembling.

Adhara turned her gaze to Mai, who was now watching her almost warily. Their eyes met, and just like when they had seen each other on the battlefield earlier, something seemed to dawn in Mai's eyes. But there was something there in her violet orbs which told Adhara that she had her support.

The queen gave a nod of respect.

"It was an honour to meet you," she told the blonde woman, and Mai nodded back with equal respect.

"Likewise, your majesty," she answered seriously, and with another smile Adhara turned back to her two children.

"I love the two of you so much," was the last thing she was before standing up. Joey, who was too weak to stand, simply slipped into his sister's arms instead, and the two of them watched in growing confusion as their mother walked over and knelt in front of Seto.

Mokuba noticed this as well.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sounding almost aggressive, and Isis stroked his scales comfortingly.

Adhara turned and looked at him with a sad smile.

"I know what it's like to lose a loved one," she told him. "I'd never want anyone to go through that…. So I'll spare you, little one."

Mokuba's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Isis pulled him to her again, watching Adhara carefully.

"Mom?" Serenity asked, but the woman just turned and smiled at her in a way which said; 'Everything will be alright'.

Then she made herself comfortable in front of Seto, closed her eyes, and focused.

Adhara searched within herself. She searched for the same magic which had saved the life of her and Serenity earlier, and which had destroyed Rebecca. The logical part of her was as confused by all this as the rest of the people around her; she couldn't do anything about this! The dragon was already dead!

But another, far older and more confident part was telling that voice to shut up. She instinctively knew what to do.

And so she searched, and found what she had been looking for; a spark, soft and warm now, but with an ability to flare of she needed it.

"'_At the dawn of time, witches had the ability to give life,_'" she whispered to herself, then mentally seized that spark with both hands and pulled it out.

Everyone gasped as her body stared to glow faintly.

A breeze which no one else could feel made Adhara's hair flutter, and she smiled softly to herself again, still with both eyes closed.

"If I bring you back," she spoke, and her voice seemed to have something almost unearthly to it, "will you take care of him for me?"

A dark, almost growling voice travelled on the breeze to her ears, and she was the only one who heard it.

_If he lets me… I'll be more than happy to…_

"Good," she answered, then slowly, softly, and without any dramatic flare, put her hands on Seto's cooling scales.

The light which had been surrounding her immediately engulfed Seto as well, and grew from the fain glow to a blinding flash. Everyone gasped and covered their eyes, and Joey and Serenity cried out her name in worry and shock.

Adhara only heard them faintly. She still had her eyes closed, and she allowed the light and warmth to sweep her away. Still smiling… always smiling…

-

Next thing she knew, she was standing in the middle of nowhere.

There were no trees, no buildings; not even a sky above her head or ground beneath her feet. Everything was white; everything was light, and Adhara couldn't see an end or beginning, or any directions. There were no sounds, and no air, not even her own heartbeat or breathing. Everything was still and silent, and Adhara had never seen anything like it. Yet, she wasn't the least bit afraid. Just warm… and at peace.

On their own accord, her feet started moving somewhere. She didn't know if it was towards left or right, or if she was even really moving, but she did start walking, and even though nothing else happened, she was content with that.

After a little while, something became visible at the horizon (although there were no horizons in this place… she just couldn't explain it; it was one of those things which one has to experience to understand). It was only a faint shadow at first. Then a silhouette. Then details became visible; large frame… shining white scales… folded wings…

They met somewhere in the middle (of what, neither of them could say. Once again; it's complicated). Seto, who was a lot bigger then her even here, looked down at her when they passed, and Adhara looked back up into his sharp, wary eyes with a serene smile.

"I understand what he sees in you," she told him with her warm voice; it seemed to fit perfectly with this place. "Such a handsome young man."

Seto said nothing. This woman seemed more than a little strange. Even though she was Joey's mother.

They had passed each other now, and he turned a little and kept walking sideways so he could keep looking at her. She turned around completely and walked backwards, smile still in place.

"I guess I owe you one now," he called to her softly, and her smile widened as she closed her eyes; the image of peace and beauty.

"I'd sat we're about even," she answered, and Seto could have sworn he saw a flash of golden hair behind her, and strong, male arms close around her waist….

But then the light engulfed him, and he never got the chance to take a closer look.

-

In the real world, Joey watched in horror the light which had engulfed his mother and Seto's body. Serenity was gripping his hand painfully, and Mokuba and Isis were hugging each other just as tightly. For a moment the light stayed just as bright, and none of them could get even a glimpse of the queen and dragon.

Then the light flared even more (if that was even possible), and a pillar of gold shot up into the sky, penetrating clouds and disappearing into space. Dark, sparkling shadows danced around the pillar, and a shriek of hate and fury penetrated the air. Every single person in the crowd put their hands over their ears, trying to keep the sound out, knowing that if it didn't stop soon they'd go insane from the sheer horribleness in it.

Then the scream was abruptly cut off, and the shadows disappeared. The pillar stayed though, and with it came new voices, this time whispering softly. They didn't seem to travel through air, but popped up in everyone's heads without passing through their ears…

_On the first nigh of the eleventh month…_

_Place a curse upon you…_

_Your whole kind…_

_Last child ever born into…_

_Freely gives their blood… _

_So it will be…_

_So it will be…_

_So it will be done…_

And once those soft whispers finally subsided, a single voice travelled through the air…. A dark, growling voice which Joey knew all too well…

"Tough luck, bitch… We won."

And then the pillar of light disappeared, the glow surrounding Seto and Adhara faded, and the people could once again see.

The first thing Joey saw was Seto's sharp eyes, staring back at him.

A strange feeling exploded inside him. He didn't know exactly what it was, just that it was powerful, mind-blowing, and he's probably pass out soon from the cheer volume of it all. His mouth was dry, and he needed a drink, but at the same time he knew he wouldn't be able to swallow the water. His hands and feet were shaking terribly. His heart was swelling.

There should be a word for complete, utter, uninhibited happiness.

Oh wait… there already was.

Euphoria.

Then Joey saw Adhara, lying unmoving on the ground beside Seto, and all that disappeared; replaced by cold dread.

"_Seto_!" Mokuba cried and threw himself at his older brother at the same time as Joey and Serenity scrambled over to their mother.

No one else seemed to notice the queen's prone body. Yami, Yugi, Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Marik and Isis all gathered around Seto. Their faces were still shocked, but smiling widely all the same.

"I knew you wouldn't go that easily," Marik told Seto, grinning in his usual way now. "Too tenacious."

"Don't hurt yourself using such big words," Seto told him, the words rolling off his tongue with his usual sarcasm.

He raised one claw and felt the place where the arrow had struck him, right under where Mokuba was now nuzzling into his scales. Not a single trace was left of the wound. Isis had done a good job, and the arrow was now lying on the ground, looking useless. Seto quickly crushed it under his foot.

Then his gaze travelled back to Joey, and his face grew completely serious.

The blond and his sister were sitting in their knees on the ground, and now the roles were reversed: Joey held his mother in his arms, shaking her and calling for her with fear and pain in his eyes.

"Mom? Come on, mom, wake up," his voice was shaking again, and he seemed to be close to tears. The queen lay in his arms, unmoving, slack, and with her eyes closed. She was smiling peacefully.

Joey already knew she was gone; he had felt it the moment he laid eyes on her body, but he didn't want to believe it.

"Mom…" Serenity whispered beside him and raked a hand through her long hair. His sister's pain gave Joey new energy.

"Mom. Mom! Wake up! You can't leave us here! Mom!"

A hand on his shoulder stopped him, and Mai kneeled beside them. Her eyes were dark with sympathy, but at the same time held a look of finality in them which Joey didn't like.

"It won't work," she said softly. "She'd already gone."

"No!" Serenity sobbed. "Why… how could she-"

"It's the most precious gift a witch can ever give," Mai explained gently. "We can literally give our life to another. '_At the dawn of time, witches had the ability to give life'_. …We never lost it."

Joey understood. He didn't want to understand, but it was all so painfully clear. His mother… his beloved mom, had given her life for Seto.

No… not really…

She'd done it for _him_. For Joey. For her son.

_All I ever wanted was to see you happy._

Not knowing what else to do, Joey looked up at Seto. The dragon, along with everyone else, was watching him and Serenity hold their mother. His blue eyes were dark, his face serious. He said nothing, and Joey was grateful. He couldn't handle words right now.

What was he supposed to feel?! Seto was alive!

But his mother was dead…

Happiness and sorrow made war inside him, flickering in his gaze for anyone to see. Blue and brown kept staring at each other, even as the truth finally hit Serenity and she sagged forward over her mother, crying desperately. Even as Rabastan kneeled beside the siblings, half holding his granddaughter, half examining the queen. Even as people stared to murmur among themselves, and some started to cry over their dead leader. Even as someone shouted loudly for anyone to hear:

"_The queen is dead. Long live the queen!_"

And Joey still didn't know what to feel.

His mother was dead. She'd died for him.

But Seto… beautiful, infuriating, perfect Seto… was alive.

* * *

The funeral took place three days later, but Seto, Mokuba and the others stayed for two weeks.

It was a beautiful day; blue sky, sun shining, a light breeze ruffling the grass.

The cemetery was located outside Domino, on a large hill with green grass and open plains around it. Here, kings and commoners lay buried together, because everyone is equal in death.

The whole city stood gathered around the white ivory casket as the high priest performed the rituals, preached and blessed the queen on her journey to the afterlife. All the time, Joey stood with Serenity and Rabastan at the head of the casket, dressed in black, as was custom, looking down on the many flowers, ribbons and gifts covering the lid completely. Serenity's hand was shaking in his own, and her sobs made it very hard for Joey to keep his own tears at bay. Rabastan had one hand placed on his two grandchildren's shoulders, looking kingly even in his grief.

At the end of it all; right before they lowered the queen into her last resting place alongside her husband, Joey took a step forward and placed a violet on top of all the other decorations. As his sister did the same beside him, his eyes strayed to a hill close to the cemetery's west side.

Seto watched the whole funeral from there, Mokuba, Isis, Mai, Yami, Yugi, Ryou, Bakura, Marik and Malik standing around him. All looked solemn, and all were dressed in black. Joey smiled a little at their display of respect, and a small, cynical part of his mind remarked that if nothing else, at least Adhara's _funeral_ would be remembered.

No other king or queen had had dragons, mages, witches, werewolves and healers present to pay their honours.

Feeling tired, not only in body, but in mind and soul, Joey looked into Seto's eyes for a brief moment before turning to his sister and hugging her.

The trip back to the city (in a black wagon pulled by four black horses) was a quiet and grievous affair. Joey and Serenity sat facing Rabastan, Duke and Tristan, and no one spoke.

A church bell rang, and it didn't stop until the sun went down.

The day was spent mostly in quiet, playing hosts and hostess to the many guests, nodding and smiling at anyone and everyone who wanted to pay their respects.

When they went to bed that night, Serenity grabbed Joey's arm and asked him to share her bed. He didn't object.

"It still feels so unreal, you know," she whispered into his chest as they lay tangled together in her room, seeking warmth and comfort in each other.

"I know," Joey sighed into her hair. He was so tried he wanted to sleep forever, yet he couldn't fall asleep. His sister's presence soothed his aching heart, but it would be a long time before the wound healed.

"Would it…" Serenity hesitated for a long moment, but when Joey shifted questioningly, she continued; "would it be terrible of me to say that I'm… _glad_, in some way?"

He didn't answer for a moment, and she quickly continued:

"At least now… they're together, right? She's not so alone and sad anymore."

"…You're right," Joey said after a moment, squeezing her tighter. "You're absolutely right."

They lapsed into silence, but then Joey took a deep breath, and asked her something he had been thinking and dreading about these last three days.

"Serenity…? Are… do you… blame me… for mom's death?" She stiffened in his arms, and dread crept up Joey's spine. "She gave her life to make me happy… so do you hate me now? And Seto?"

"No, Joey," she sad quickly, lifting her face to look at him with big, wet eyes. "I could never hate you. You know that! And Seto means so much to you… so I could never hate him either."

And as he looked into her eyes, he knew she meant it: Serenity never lied.

"I know," he said, feeling a new lump grow in his throat. He swallowed it irritably; he was so tried of crying. "Stupid question, I guess."

They said nothing more after that. Just lay there, relishing in the feeling of finally being together again, after months of worry and action and pain. It was strange how much Joey realized he had missed his sister. Of course he'd always known he missed her, but… now when they were together again, it felt so intense. Especially on top of everything else.

It took a long time for Serenity to fall asleep, and Joey couldn't get any shuteye at all, despite his tiredness.

After a few hours he gave up, slid out of bed and tiptoed out of her room. He didn't know what he was doing as he snuck down the moonlit corridors: only that he needed to move around for a bit. He was tired, but restless at the same time… if that made any sense. He just needed to… _do _something!

It wasn't until he caught sight of white scales in the garden though a window that he knew why he was up.

Seto and Mokuba had decided to sleep in the garden, since no room in the castle was big enough for them to get comfortable in. Still, Joey had made sure there were countless of pillows carried out to the two.

But when Joey walked through the glass-doors, Seto wasn't lying to the bed they had made beneath a few trees. He was wide awake, and watched the blond walk across the lawn towards him. He observed how the moonlight reflected on golden locks, thinking about how beautiful the boy truly was. Their eyes met, and Joey stopped right in front of him. The amber orbs were glowing with so much emotion it left Seto breathless. But of course, he didn't show that.

They hadn't been alone together in more than three days. They didn't move. They didn't say anything for a long time. They were so content with just looking, as if they had all the time in the world

"I guess we're the same now," Joey whispered softly, and Seto didn't move a muscle. "Now _none of us _have any parents."

A second of complete stillness, then Seto wordlessly reached out with one claw and pulled Joey to him, pressing the blond gently to his other leg in as much of a hug as he could give. He bent down and nuzzled the blond hair. Still didn't say anything. Joey pressed his cheek to the arm, feeling muscles and life and love beneath the hardness. He dragged his face along it softly, loving the way smooth scales caressed his own skin. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He was so tired of crying.

But he was _even_ _more_ relieved when Seto just held him as if he was something incredibly precious, while he clutched at the warm, white scales and sobbed and gasped and moaned and screamed as if there was no tomorrow.

* * *

Téa didn't know for how long she'd been sitting in the cell when the lock rattled and the hinges creaked as the door opened. Making a quick calculation in her head, she realized it was still too early for dinner (despite everything, they still fed her; she didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed) and looked up.

Serenity was standing in the door with a few sneering guards (loyal to Rabastan, of course) behind her, watching the brunette with tired and serious eyes.

The princess looked worn; at least five years older that she should have. Strangely enough, Téa felt no spark of satisfaction or triumph at the sight- she was just so broken down there was nothing left to feel anymore.

Still, she was a good actor, and now she directed a vicious glare at the girl, who just stepped into the cell and let the door close behind her. Téa briefly considered attacking her, but what would that amount to?

"Coming here to tell me about my execution yourself?" she hissed instead, pulling her knees up to her chest in a defensive position. "Wanted one last triumph over me before I die?"

"We're not going to kill you, Téa," Serenity answered, sounding just as tired as she looked. "Enough people have died already."

"Such a martyr," Téa snorted, then a mirthless smirk spread on her lips. "I bet your dear mother would have been proud of you. Too bad she's dead." Seeing pain flash through the girl's eyes, Téa's smirk widened, and she continued; wanting to hurt someone as much as she had been hurt: "Oh yes, I heard. She _gave her life _for you brother's beloved dragon, didn't she? So they _could be happy_. Do you think she even consider what that would do to you? Did she care?"

Serenity's hands clenched into fists, but she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, they were completely calm.

"Téa," she said evenly, looking as dignified as only a queen could. "What you did was… _is_ horrible."

The brunette could only blink as the princess walked across the floor and kneeled before her, looking straight into her eyes. Téa wanted to look away; those eyes were so familiar… filled with so much pain; she saw the exact same thing every time she looked in a mirror. But she forced herself to meet them; just because she was defeated didn't mean she didn't have any pride left.

"So many have died because of you," Serenity continued, just as calmly as before. But there was pain in her voice as well. "So many people… my mother… your own _brother_! Think about it for a moment; how many kids do you think are orphans now? How many widows and widowers? How much pain?"

Her words awoke something inside Téa. Pictures of a burnt down village flashed in her mind; bodies littering the ground, horrified screams filled the air, and Rebecca stood laughing in the middle of it all. Téa had been so afraid and so remorseful that night, but she'd tried to push it aside.

It hadn't worked. At least not during the night, when she was alone with her thoughts.

"Don't you feel the tiniest bit of guilt?"

If the girl only knew…

Silence passed between them. Téa didn't answer, and finally broke their gaze, looking down at the hem of Serenity's dress. She refused to let the girl see her cry. She refused!

The princess sighed.

"Joey told me what kind of life you've lived," Téa snapped back up to face her at those words. Serenity's eyes were full of empathy. "You've been through a lot of pain and suffering… and that makes me believe that you're not evil. Not entirely, at least."

"What the hell do you want with me?!" Téa snarled, so full of confused emotions she didn't know what to do anymore. "What do you want me to do?!"

"Think," Serenity answered simply, and stood back up. Even though she looked down on Téa, there was no mockery in her gaze. "Think about everything. I will come back in a while… and when I do, I want to know of you're ready to work for a second chance in this world."

She gave a faint smile at Téa's shocked expression.

"It won't be easy, and you'll probably get hurt more times than you can imagine… but if you're willing to try, I will try to help you."

And then she turned and walked towards the door. She hadn't had time to do more than knock before Téa opened her mouth and screamed:

"_Why are you doing this_?!"

Serenity turned around just as the guards opened the door for her. The tired smile was still in place. It looked determined and hopeful at the same time.

"Because I try to be a good human being," she said softly. "And that means I can't just judge you any way I want…. Not when there are other factors to take in consideration. _Being good_ means… that I can't give up on you."

And then she was gone, leaving Téa with her thoughts… and a choice.

* * *

The following two weeks were spent rebuilding Domino. Joey threw himself headfirst into the labour, happy to have something that took his mind off… _other _things. Apparently, Serenity, Tristan, Duke, Rabastan and everyone else agreed with him on that one.

Seto and the rest of the gang was a valuable asset in the reconstruction. They lifted burdens which no one else could carry, went places no one else dared to go in fear of getting caught if something caved in. Their magic helped in many different ways, and while they worked, Isis walked around and healed as many as she could every day without getting completely exhausted.

Seto had arrived at the city like a monster to be feared and fought, but only a week after the funeral, he had been able to win the citizens' trust. Although not a very talkative or friendly fellow, he did help rebuild everything he had destroyed.

It's astounding how much people are ready to forgive as long as they get their house back.

Of course, everything didn't fall into place just because of that. Even though Mokuba had quickly become a favourite among the children in Domino, the small ones refused to go anywhere near Seto. Marik, Bakura and Yami received the same treatment, since they apparently looked scary.

Speaking of Bakura and Yami, they were quickly getting used to their old bodies again. The day after Adhara's funeral, the whole gang (including Joey, Serenity, Duke, Tristan and Rabastan) had gathered in the garden and just talked for hours. Explanations had been made, questions had been answered, and everyone got a clear picture of the situation. Joey's family had listened in stunned wonder to all the things Joey had been through since his kidnapping (although the prince didn't mention his feelings for the white dragon, or the amazing day he and Seto had spent together as humans), and were properly introduced to all his new friends.

Yami and Bakura had finally told their soulmates their story, which was followed by a rather emotional moment that ended with Bakura and Ryou engaged in a heavy make out-session. Yami and Yugi didn't end up quite like that, but it didn't matter: Joey found them kissing in Yami's room two days later.

He couldn't have been happier for the four of them.

Tristan and Duke stood on the same spot they had for a long time: they weren't together, but they didn't fight anymore either. They hung out like they had when they had been younger, laughing and bickering like friends should. But every now and then Joey saw them gaze longingly at the other when he wasn't looking. They hadn't told each other. It was frustrating.

When it came to his own love-life, there wasn't much to report. He and Seto hadn't spoken since the night in the garden, and Joey felt both guilty and relieved because of that.

The truth of the matter was that it was becoming clearer and clearer for Joey just what he'd have to do now. Seto and the others couldn't stay here forever; they had their own lives waiting for them at the hollow mountain. Yami, Yugi, Ryou and Bakura had their happily ever after to look forward to. Isis and Malik had their duties as Seto's friends and servants, Marik went wherever the other blond went, and Mai had come to love her life in the village.

And Seto…

That was just it.

Joey knew Seto was hoping that he would come with them back, and he wanted that himself as well. He wanted it so bad it hurt.

But for everyday that passed in Domino, among his family, friends and people… it became more and more obvious that he couldn't do that.

The queen was dead. Rabastan, although still going strong, wouldn't live forever. Serenity shouldn't have to carry such a burden. The country needed a king...

And Joey was the eldest child of the royal family.

He'd known this his whole life. It was the reason he had been trained in battle… educated… taught the proper court-manners. He was to become king of Domino; it was his duty and destiny.

But he didn't want to. He wanted to be with Seto. Live and love with him…. _That _was the right thing for him. That was where he belonged.

But he couldn't leave everything behind just because of that. No matter which way he looked at it, there was nothing to it. A king couldn't be involved in a romantic relationship with an eight metres tall dragon. Not when he was supposed to produce heirs and so on. Not to mention that the relationship would be severely frowned upon. Besides; Joey had a sinking feeling Seto wouldn't accept that. He wanted to have all of Joey, and that was fine with the blond.

But he couldn't; he had his fucking _duties_!

So he'd avoided Seto. It was wrong, cowardly, and very unbecoming for a future king, but he just couldn't face the dragon yet. Not after everything they had been through. What was he supposed to say: _'_Sorry Seto, I know I've put you through some heavy shit, and we both wanna be together forever, but I'm gonna choose becoming a king over you, not because I want to, but because I have to'?

A normal guy would be pissed. But this was _Seto._ There was no word for how furious he'd be.

Thus, Joey had avoided him. For two weeks, he had avoided him. Every now and then their eyes would meet and lock, and Joey could see that Seto wanted to talk to him. But he always found some excuse to scurry off before Seto got the chance. It was incredibly frustrating for the dragon, Joey knew that… but he didn't know what else to do.

Of course, Joey should have realized that this tactic wouldn't work. It was stupid of him to think differently, and he was painfully reminded of that when Duke stuck his head into Joey's father's old office one day when the blond was working on some papers in there (he hated it, but it had to be done; he was a future king).

"Hey," Duke began, making Joey look up from the insanely boring work. "Did you know your friends were leaving today?"

The bottom seemed to fall out of Joey.

"I talked to Malik, and he said Seto had ordered them to start packing. Apparently, they're leaving for their own home."

"Where are they now?" Joey demanded. He'd already risen from the chair.

"At the courtyard, getting ready. What-" but Joey was already out the door and rushing down the corridor.

He rushed passed servants and soldiers, jumped down stairs and zoomed out the castle-entrance, but when he came to the steps outside the door, he stopped dead in his tracks.

True to Duke's words, there they were. The whole gang; getting ready to leave by packing the few belongings they had onto Seto's and Mokuba's backs. Although Bakura and Yami could still transform into their animal forms if they wanted to, they adamantly refused, which wasn't all that strange when one thought about it. Thus they would all be riding with Mokuba and Seto, except Marik and Malik, who were fast enough to keep up with the dragons.

They all looked very busy at the moment, but as if he had felt Joey's gaze, Seto suddenly turned to look at him. When their eyes met, Joey knew they really were going to leave.

Seto said something to Mokuba, who nodded and watched him walk over to Joey. They didn't break the gaze.

"You can't leave," Joey said bluntly as soon as Seto stood in front of him. The dragon raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" he said, his voice even. "Isn't that statement a little foolish? We have another life to return to, you know. We didn't exactly leave the village in a good condition. Your city is not the only place which needs repairing."

"Stop it with the cold act!" Joey snapped, suddenly angry. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing! I- we… can we talk somewhere more private?" his clenched fists shook.

Seto shot a look over his shoulder at the gang, which was minding their own business, and shrugged nonchalantly. Joey took this as a sign of agreement, and turned on his heels, leading the way to the garden, where they could talk undisturbed. He knew Seto would follow.

"I knew you'd come running if I made it clear that we were going to leave," Seto said as soon as they stepped out onto the grass. Joey turned to look at him, and his blue eyes weren't quite as cold anymore. They were just dark, and serious. "You've been avoiding me."

"I know. I'm sorry," Joey said, nervously raking a hand through his hair and looking around. "It's just that I've had a lot on my mind, and I needed to think, and figure out what I was gonna do. And I couldn't do that if you distracted me all the time."

"Figure out what you were going to do?" Seto repeated, and took a step forward. Joey backed away a little, not because he was scared, but because he knew what Seto's proximity could do to him. But stubborn as he was, the dragon just stepped even closer, and put a claw under his chin, gently lifting his head so they had to look at each other again. Joey was immediately ensnared.

"Your family knows that you are alive and well now. They have accepted us –don't argue; you know they know and accept it- and you want to be with me. I know you do."

"Yes," Joey said, and his voice came out a lot weaker than he would have liked it to. Those darn beautiful eyes just made his knees so weak. "Yes… I really do…"

"Then come with me." Seto brought his face closer. So close, Joey could have bent over forward and pecked his muzzle. "Come with me."

_I want to. By the gods, I want to. _

"I can't." Those words sounded so pathetically weak, and yet they hurt so much.

"Yes, you can."

"No."

"Joey-"

"Stop it." He broke the gaze one more, pushing Seto's claw away. "Don't argue with me on this one. I want to go with you, Seto, we both know that. But I just can't, okay? I can't!"

Seto stepped away from him a little, and Joey felt the loss of his warmth. The dragon actually looked angry now.

"Why not?" he demanded, and his tone would have made anyone else shake in their boots. But Joey wasn't just anyone. "What's so important that you give up everything that's happened? Why are you fighting this so badly?"

Joey had just opened his mouth to answer when a timid voice from the door interrupted them.

"Excuse me, your highness," the servant said, and fiddled with his hands nervously when Seto turned his cold, sharp eyes towards him. Suddenly the words came rushing out of him. "Your sister is looking for you. And there were some documents you needed to take a look at. And after that you have a meeting with the court to discuss what we will do with all the children who lost their parents in the battle a few days ago. I just thought I'd tell you now, so you don't lose too much time. There's so much to do."

"Yes, thank you," Joey said with a small, sad smile. The man opened his mouth to say something more, but then closed it, bowed, and left. Unknowingly, he had given Joey the chance to explain all this in a way that Seto could understand. Joey didn't know if he should be grateful or angry.

Seto turned back to look at him, but Joey had his gaze stubbornly fixed on the ground. They stood in silence for a moment.

"You see?" Joey said at last, looking up at Seto with pain clearly visible in his chocolate orbs. "_That's_ why."

Seto's eyes widened a fraction, before realization dawned in them. Joey could see how the truth hit him like a brick wall, and it was so painful to watch. Seto was a prince too (or had once been, at least) and if there was anything he should understand, it was duty towards your people.

And he did understand, Joey knew, because he lowered his eyes.

He'd never done that before.

"Ah…" he said at last. It sounded so disappointed. "I understand."

Joey wanted to walk over to him, embrace him, kiss his scales and say that he'd changed his mind. He wanted to assure Seto that he'd stay with him forever, that everything would be alright, and all those other things you want to tell you loved ones when they're in pain. But he didn't. He just tried to apologize.

"Seto-"

"Don't," the dragon interrupted immediately, looking at anything but Joey. His eyes were unreadable. "You had to make a decision, and you did. I can't blame you for that."

Unbidden, bitterness welled up inside Joey, and he smiled at the dragon. It was a dead smile.

"We both know you can," he objected, and his voice was no more than a pained whisper.

Finally, Seto looked at him again. He looked, and Joey wished he hadn't, because there was so much pain in those eyes that he just wanted to scream, and _please Seto don't hate me I only wanted you but I can't and I love you and it's so fucking unfair I feel like burning Domino so I can be with you but I can't and please…_

His breathing hitched as Seto reached out with one claw, as if he was going to stroke Joey's cheek. Somehow, the blond knew, just _knew_, that it'd only take _one small touch_, and he'd be changing his mind and going with Seto before he had a chance to think about it…

But Seto stopped halfway, hesitated, and then pulled his claw back, a look of frustrated agony on his face.

Joey felt the exact same way.

"Goodbye, Joey," he said instead, again not looking at the boy. "Good luck."

And then he swept past the blond, heading for the door; so close that Joey could feel his warmth against his cheek. He closed his eyes and tried to suck it in, wanting to preserve the last closeness he'd ever have with Seto.

He'd never be whole again after today. He'd never be able to forget and move on. He'd compare all his future lovers to Seto, and he knew none of them would cut it. Seto was it for him. He'd only be living half a life without him. And that was how it had to be. That was what he had to…

"I love you."

Joey's eyes widened when the words reached his ears. All it took was those three words, and a strangling feeling welled up inside him. Tears burned in his eyes, and he couldn't breathe, but he refused to turn around, even as he could feel Seto's eyes burn into his back.

The dragon had stopped, taken a breath and tried one last time to make the prince see reason. He watched Joey's rigid back, knowing this was it. If this didn't work, he'd give up. He couldn't drag Joey away, kicking and screaming, and hide him in the mountain, no matter how much he wanted to.

"I will always love you."

_Stop… please…it hurts so bad… _

Every time he said it, it sent a current of painful electricity through Joey's body. It could have been an amazing, indescribable feeling, but the knowledge that this was the only time he would hear it only made it equally painful for Joey.

"I need you to know that… and even though things didn't turn out the way we wanted it to… I will remember you, and I will cherish the part of you which is mine. I will never forget, Joey. I love you."

_Oh… gods…_

He was shaking again. Any moment now, he as going to collapse to the ground and die. That was how intense the feeling was. He was ripping apart. This was almost as bad as watching Seto die. He couldn't handle this. Not right now. Not on top of everything else. And Seto…

"I love you." And then he heard light steps leaving, and all he could think was _finallyhe'sgoneohmygodwhyishegoneIcan'tbewithouthimandSetocomebackplease! _

Joey slapped a hand over his mouth to keep any sounds in, and breathed deeply through his nose to keep control of himself. He would either call out for Seto to come back or break down in violent sobs and screams if he didn't restrain himself. He couldn't do either, he simply couldn't, and thus forced himself to keep it together.

In a corridor in the castle, Seto passed Serenity on his way out. Their eyes met, and he gave a brief nod of respect which Serenity answered with one of her own. She watched him walk off down the corridor towards the courtyard, where the others were waiting for him.

There was something wrong. She'd seen it in his eyes.

Striding down the corridor he had just come from, Serenity walked out into the garden.

Where Joey had sunk into a shivering, gasping pile in the grass.

She was at his side in an instant, lifting him up and cradling him in her arms. Joey buried his face in her shoulder and cried like he'd done with Adhara on the day Seto had died and come back to life. Serenity just held him in silence for a while, but then sighed softly and stroked his hair.

"Joey," she breathed, and untangling herself from him a little, she cupped his face between her hands and looked into his bloodshot eyes. Her own were blank with tears as well. "Remember when dad died?" she whispered, and his expression changed from heartbroken to shocked in a matter of seconds.

_What the hell is she bringing that up for?! _

"Mom was never the same again, was she?" Serenity continued quickly. "Sure, she smiled and did what she was supposed to… but it was always faked, wasn't it? She never let go of the pain; she loved him so much. They were truly soulmates. You saw it too, didn't you? How she just seemed to fade away a little with every day that went by. It was so painful to see… she used to be so beautiful, and then everything changed. I hated it so much, but couldn't do anything. Only dad could, and the she looked so peaceful when she died a few days ago… and I just _know _she's with him right now, and being happy. Don't you think so too?"

"Yes…" Joey rasped, his voice raw and tried. "But Serenity, what-"

"Knowing that," she interrupted sharply, "knowing how much suffering mom had to endure… how bad it hurt… _how can you let go of your own soulmate_?!"

His jaw hit the floor, and he looked at her, sitting there in front of him, shaking slightly, but with her tear-filled eyes gleaming with determination. She was just as beautiful as their mother, and just as strong. And she loved him. She…

…_She wanted him to be happy_.

That was all they had ever wanted for him. It was as simple as that, and the only one who thought he had duties was himself….

"We'll be fine, Joey," she said, gentler now, and stroked his cheek. She smiled, and the tears finally slipped down her cheeks. "Think about yourself for once. What _you_ want."

What he wanted?

What he wanted was _Seto_.

"I will always love you," she said, repeating the words Seto had told him, such a short while ago. The memory of it hurt. "And I know you love me. You don't need to prove anything."

"Serenity..." he trailed off. Had no idea what to say. She'd basically just given him permission to leave her behind…

"Seriously," she said with a weak laugh. "If you _don't _go, I'll never talk to you again!"

_Oh. _

"You're really… really okay with this?" He asked, knowing it was a stupid question.

"As long s you are," she confirmed, and her smile grew with the hope in his heart. "Now go."

Everything finally clicked.

Joey's self-restraint was already so weak. A single touch from Seto would have made it break. His sister's words had the same effect. The chain holding his deepest wishes shattered at last, and suddenly everything was so easy. He'd made his decision, and there hadn't really been any other to begin with. From the moment he'd said his first words to that dragon, his destiny had been sealed. It was his duty to become king of Domino.

But he wouldn't be alive without Seto.

_He died,_ Joey thought to himself. _He fucking died, and I still didn't make up my mind. I still didn't tell him how I feel… not face to face, at least. _

It was so easy… he was such an idiot.

"I need…" he stuttered as he and Serenity fought their way onto their feet, leaning on each other for support. "I need a horse."

"Leave it to me," she answered with another smile, and dried her tears. She looked happier now, even if the sadness still lingered. "You better go say goodbye to everyone."

"I'll come visit," he promised.

"You'd better," she answered, and then they were hugging. Tight, and long, and with all the love they had for each other. Serenity nuzzled his collarbone, then poked his side with another small laugh. "Hurry, you slowpoke!"

He leaned back and looked at her, seriously, but with shining eyes.

"I love you."

"I know."

She watched him race into the castle with a small smile. Mission accomplished: Joey was happy.

She prayed she would find the same happiness one day.

-

Joey ran straight into his grandfather, and all the old king had to do was take one look at his face to know what was going on. A smile spread on his face, making Joey blush.

"You finally made up you mind," he stated.

"I'm sorry, grandpa, but I have to-"

"Like some wise man once said," Rabastan said, placing both hands on his grandson's shoulders. "'If you don't love… you're not alive.'"

"I'll have to look up one of your wise men one day," Joey said, and the old man chuckled.

"Maybe," he answered, squeezing the shoulders and pulling the boy into a big hug. "But right now you have a dragon to chase down."

And he too watched Joey run off down the corridor.

-

The prince found Tristan and Duke on the same floor as his room. The two were walking down the hall, engorged in some interesting discussion, when Joey crashed right into them.

"What the hell, man?!" Tristan yelled as Joey accidentally knocked him into a wall. "Take it easy!"

"I'm going after Seto and the others!" Joey said breathlessly, giving the two of them a tight hug each, before continuing towards his room.

"About time!" Duke called after him, grinning. "You'd better hurry!"

"I know!" Joey called back, then he suddenly remembered something, and made a complete turn towards the two. "Oh, and Duke?"

"Hm?"

"Just wanted to tell you that Tris has been madly in love with you for years now."

Duke's jaw hit the floor and made a break for it, while Tristan blushed beet-red and choked on air. Joey just laughed, spun around, and was off again.

"Damnit, Joey!" Tristan yelled after him once he got his breathing under control. He shook his fist after his friend, still blushing madly. "You asshole! You promised not to tell! I'll fucking kill you!"

"Tell?" Duke said, snapping out of it. "You mean it's true?"

Tristan froze, and slowly turned towards his crush again. He looked at everything except Duke, so he didn't see the large smile of bliss which was spreading on the raven-haired boy's face.

"He… I… um… he promised not to… I-I'm sorry, Duke… I-"

It took Duke one second to throw himself at the knight and kiss him like there was no tomorrow. It took Tristan five seconds to get over his shock and start kissing back with the same enthusiasm.

-

Finally, Joey took the steps which led down to the courtyard two at a time, and a small bag was slung over his shoulder. Serenity was waiting for him with a horse, and when she gave Joey the reins they exchanged another smile and warm hug.

"See you soon, sis," Joe told her, and swung himself onto the horse's back effortlessly.

"Take care," Serenity said. "Don't cause Seto too much trouble."

He snorted, and she gave small laugh. Joey looked up at the castle, seeing Rabastan standing in the door with a whole bunch of the castle-inhabitants behind him. They were waving and yelling encouragements, and Joey was filled with complete and utter happiness.

Nothing could stop him now.

With a last smile at his grandfather, Joey turned the horse and was off. Metallic horseshoes beat against the cobblestone as Joey galloped through the city, through the restored gates and across the fields towards east.

Towards Seto.

* * *

Seto and the rest of the gang hadn't gotten all that far. They travelled at a slow pace, not really motivated enough to speed things up. Marik and Malik ran on the ground under him, and Mokuba was flying beside Seto, now and then throwing worried glances at his older brother, who hadn't said word since his conversation with Joey, and whose eyes didn't show a thing. The drakling (who wasn't really a drakling at all anymore) exchanged a worried look with Isis and Mai, who were sitting on his back. No one said anything. The atmosphere was tense.

Then Yugi, on a complete whim, decided to throw a look over his shoulder at Domino, which was slowly disappearing at the horizon.

And caught sight of a small blob moving towards them at an insanely fast pace. His eyes widened.

"Joey?" The other's looked up at the softly spoken word. Then it seemed to sink in for Yugi. "It's Joey! Seto, look! It's him!"

Seto blinked in surprise and stopped in the middle of the air, looking behind himself and spotting the blob Yugi was pointing at.

It really was Joey.

Before he knew what he was doing, Seto had changed his direction completely and flew towards the horse and rider as fast a he could, his heart beating in painful hope. Mokuba quickly followed, and from the ground Marik and Malik saw what happened and turned around too.

Seto landed softly right in front of Joey with a strong gust of wind and an elegant arch of his wings. Unfortunately, Joey's horse wasn't all that used to meeting dragons, and quite simply panicked at the sight. It came to a screeching halt, almost sitting down on its butt in order to stop. Less than a second later, it threw itself backwards and headed back for Domino at a neck-breaking pace. Poor Joey wasn't prepared for this at all, excited as he was, and crashed headfirst to the ground with a terrible crack.

Seto's eyes widened, and behind him, Mokuba and all the others winced in sympathy.

But Joey was on his feet within seconds, looking dizzy and swaying a little, but otherwise fine.

"I'm okay! I'm okay!"

"Are you insane?!" Seto snapped; eyes uncharacteristically wide. "People _die_ from falling off horses! Be more careful!"

"I love you too!" Joey rushed out, ignoring his words, and Seto froze. "I love you too, and I'm sorry that I'm so slow and stupid and didn't realize it until now, but I really _do _love you and I wanna stay with you more than anything and for once I'm just gonna do what I _wanna_ do and ignore what everyone else says and I don't care if it makes me sound like a jerk, because Serenity said it was okay and grandpa and Tris an Duke doesn't mind, and I think I deserve it after everything we've been through together and you fucking _died_ and my life would be hell if I'm not with you and _I love you_!"

He looked up at Seto, panting heavily (he'd said all that in one single breath), and Seto stared back, completely rigid for a moment. Then he blinked, shook his head, let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes at the sky as if saying 'Why me?'.

"Only you are slow enough to not react until half an hour after I tell you something like that," he muttered, frustrated. Joey clenched his fists and held back a snappy comment, realizing that now might not be a good time to start a fight.

"Come here," Seto continued after a moment, waving Joey over. The blond took a few steps towards him, and as soon as he was within reach, the dragon reached out and pushed him forward, pressing him to his other leg in a gentle hug, like he'd done the night in the garden, when he was comforting him. He bent his head low and nuzzled Joey's hair.

"You're an idiot," he mumbled softly while Joey wrapped his arms a little tighter around his arm. "But I love you."

And just like that, all the tension slid off of Joey like melted snow. A bubbly, happy warmth took its place, and he looked up at Seto with a grin. Now he truly _could_ do anything!

"You sap," he chirped softly, and Seto frowned.

"I'm not the one running after me like a knight in shining armour," he answered pointedly, but as usual, there was no real sharpness in the words.

"So we're both saps," Joey said and kissed his muzzle. "Saps in love."

"Terrible, _terrible_ combination," Seto said with a grimace, making the blond laugh softly and nuzzle his arm. It smelled of magic and ashes and Seto… such a nice smell.

"Can it get any better than this?" he whispered softly, for once not caring how cliché he sounded. He loved and was loved; he had the fucking right to be mushy, and anyone who dared object would get their fucking heads cut off!

"Maybe," Seto murmured into his hair, making Joey look up at him again, this time in surprise. The dragon smirked, and dear gods, Joey had missed that smirk. "Joey… how do you feel about scales and wings and claws?"

Joey's eyes widened when he realized what Seto was talking about. His heart felt like it would explode, and there wasn't even a second's hesitation inside him. This was what he wanted; to be with Seto.

And it would be even better if they could share the sky.

"Well, I heard it's out of fashion this season," he said with a thoughtful look. "But hey, I'm in love with a guy who's covered in it, so you should already have your answer."

"Are you sure about that?" Seto asked, and he was completely serious now. Joey dropped the act as well, knowing that this decision would change his whole life, and probably couldn't ever be undone.

Still, it was an easy one.

"I've made up my mind, Seto," he assured him. "I won't change it ever again."

Seto smiled at him, and it was one of those small, sincere smiles which almost never came out. Joey felt anticipation stir inside him at the lovely sight. He'd make it one of his life-missions to make Seto smile like that; it was far too beautiful to be seen so seldom. But he'd keep the smile to himself (and maybe Mokuba, too) hide it away, so no one else could see it.

That smile was his.

"Isis," Seto said without looking away from his lover.

"Master Seto?" She said and stepped up to them. She was smiling (so were all the others, Joey noticed now) an already glowing with magic. There wasn't a single doubt in anyone's mind that it was the right wish this time.

"I wish," Seto said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I wish that Joey would be able to share everything with me. I wish we were the same, never to be separated again." A brief pause.

"Drama-queen," Bakura snickered, receiving an elbow to the gut, courtesy of Yugi.

"I wish Joey was a dragon," Seto said at last, and Joey felt one of those electric currents run through his body again. It wasn't painful this time. Far from it.

"Thank the gods," Isis breathed, and then she was engulfed in a ball of golden light.

Thick ribbons reached out for Joey from the ball, wrapping gently around his arms, legs, waist and torso and lifting him into the air. Joey relaxed and surrendered to the magic, feeling only happiness and he inhaled it and it started to heat up inside of him. Still, he didn't look away from Seto.

"I love you," the dragon spoke.

"I love you too," Joey answered with a happy, absolutely beautiful smile, and then he disappeared in a golden ball identical to the one surrounding Isis. Seto couldn't see him anymore, and the magic in the air was so thick it made his skin spark, but he was as relaxed and happy as Joey.

"What's the words I'm looking for?" Marik said behind the dragon and the two golden spheres. He tapped his chin thoughtfully with one finger, his face a mask of mocking pensiveness. Malik rolled his eyes beside him.

"'This is so gay'?" he guessed, and Marik shook his head.

"Not quite," he said.

"'About time'?" Yami suggested.

"Not that either."

"'I'm glad it's finally over'?"

"Nope."

"Isn't it obvious?" Mai said with a half irritated, half amused look at the others. When they turned to her, she looked back at the sphere surrounding Joey, and she smiled broadly.

"The words he's looking for are…" she paused as a pair of golden wings shattered the surface of the ball, and a beautiful, slender dragon with shining chocolate eyes became visible in the light.

"…'And then they lived happily ever after'."

**THE END! **

**Well no, not really. I've decided to add an epilogue too, for those of you who didn't want this story to end. BUT! (There's always a 'but'. XD)**

**PLEASE READ THIS! **

**The epilogue will contain MPreg! It's not all that major, but it's still there. I know some people don't like MPreg, and you simply don't have to read the epilogue. This is the end of the story, anyway, so it's your choice. If you choose to read it anyway, don't come bitching to me about it later, because I gave you a fair warning! **

**On another note: Come on! You didn't honestly think I was gonna kill Seto, did you? :D This is supposed to be a story which makes people happy. I hope you're happy after reading this! And you know, the best way to show me you're happy is to send a review! **

**And If you're not happy, send it anyway, and tell my why you're not happy! :D**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Please? After all my hard work? **

**Sorry if I seem random tonight. It's ten passed three in the morning here, so I really need to sleep.**

**The first part of this chapter was inspired by the song "Now we are free" by Enya (At least I THINK it's Enya…). It's the soundtrack to the movie "Gladiator". **

**The movie is one of the best I've ever seen, and the song is, without the question of a doubt, the most beautiful I've ever heard. You can check it out on the link below. Please do! **

**http://wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=l5-Dyg5wFyU**

**The second part of this chapter is inspired by the song "Soulmate" by Natasha Beddingfield, and it's also really great! **

**And last but not least; thank you. To all of those who reviewed this story, thank you. You have as much part in this story's creation as I do. It never would have survived without you! So thank you!**

**See you in the epilogue! (Hopefully) **

**R&R!!! **


	35. Unwritten

Epilogue: Unwritten

_Four years later_

The glowing ball zoomed through the forest with a pleasant tinkling noise, casting its golden light on the dark tree-trunks and murkyground. It zigzagged between a few trees, before stopping in a glade, hanging completely still in the middle of the air, trembling lightly.

Only a few seconds passed, then the quiet in the forest was broken by the sounds of hooves among the fallen leaves, mixed with two male voices and a young woman's laughter. Another few moments, and three riders became visible in the glade. One of the two men was a brunette, while the other had raven-black hair. The beautiful woman had long, red-brown locks which fell down over her shoulders like a waterfall. All three of them were smiling.

"Perhaps we should wait for the royal guards to catch up, your majesty," Duke said to Serenity, although the grin on his face showed that he didn't really mind their headstart.

"I would," Serenity said and stopped her cream-colored horse in front of the golden globe, watching it with a smile. "But I don't think this thing is going to wait, and quite frankly, I'm just as eager as it seems to be. It's been too long already, I don't want to wait for the dilatory soldiers!"

"We don't wanna disappoint our queen, do we, love?" Tristan asked, looking over at Duke with a grin of his own. There was gentleness in his deep eyes, and it filled Duke with warmth.

"I guess it can't be helped," Duke sighed in mock-defeat. "Our top priority is to keep her majesty happy, after all. I don't wanna break that promise."

"Especially since the one who made us promise that is six metres tall and can fry us alive!" Tristan laughed, making his horse pass his lover and adopted sister at a trot. "Let's go!"

The other two just exchanged a smile before following him with a laugh.

The sun was standing high in the sky when the three of them finally broke through the thick shrubbery and stepped out into a meadow. Halting their horses (_who really just wanted to run at the sight of open plains_) Serenity admired the large lake in front of her. On the other side of it, the houses of a small village could be seen, and people scurried around among them, minding their own business on this beautiful summer-day when the sky was blue and the bird were chirping. It was the image of peace and happiness, in the middle of this thick, large forest.

And behind it all: the Hollow Mountain.

It should have been an intimidating sight, considering its size and dark shape, but it didn't appear threatening in the least. Serenity just thought about the people inside it, and was immediately filled with uncontrollable anticipation.

Not even looking at her two companions, the queen of Domino spurred her horse, and the mare- very familiar with her mistress' movements and actions- immediately threw herself out onto the meadow, galloping at a fast but steady pace around the lake to reach the village. Tristan and Duke had no choice but to follow; not that they had any other plans.

It was a few of the children who saw them first. They dropped the sticks they had been playing with and started jumping up and down in eagerness, screaming at the top of their lungs. This, of course, alerted the adults, who looked up, spotted the visitors, and dropped anything they were currently doing. Some walked over to greet the young queen with a smile, but one or two ran off to get the kings and general.

Solomon, looking even older and more bent than before, but with the same twinkle in his eyes, stood first in the line as Serenity slowed down to a trot and eventually stopped in front of him.

"Welcome, young queen!" he greeted warmly as Serenity slid out of the saddle. They embraced each other.

"You look well, Solomon," she said softly, letting him go so he could hug Tristan and Duke as well. "How is everything going?"

"Oh, it goes on as it always has," Solomon answered when he finally let go of Tristan, who seemed a little relieved to be free from his embrace. The old man turned to her again, smiling so that every single wrinkle in his face was visible. "I am enjoying my retirement to the fullest, you know. Just enjoying life."

"I'll say," a warm, dark voice said from behind them, and they all turned around to see the kings themselves walk across the grass to greet them. "Everyone knows you're eating me and Yugi out of the house, dear grandfather-in-law."

Yami and Yugi didn't really look like kings, unless you counted their impressive hair. They were dressed just as casually as anyone else in the village, as if they were nothing more than commoners themselves; Yami especially looked a lot different from his majestic self a few hundred years earlier. But the aura around him was the same wise, demanding energy it had been back then. Only he looked happier now, with his glowing lover on his arm.

"Watch it, young man," Solomon scoffed at Yami, but the king only smirked in amusement. "You should respect your elders!"

"I'm over four hundred years old, dead grandpa."

"That doesn't count!"

"We never though you were going to show up, Serenity!" Yugi told Serenity as they hugged, completely ignoring the way his lover and grandfather were bickering. He was twenty-two now; as old as Joey, but he still had the same youthful energy, despite his new maturity.

"We couldn't help it; those stupid guards slowed us down," Tristan joked, making Duke scold him good-naturedly.

"No matter!" Yami said brightly, turning away from the now fuming Solomon to bow in respect at the queen. She curtsied in answer. "You're here now, and we are very happy to have you."

"You can't possibly be as happy as we are to _be_ here, dear Yami!"

"All the sweetness in the air is giving me cavities," Bakura muttered as he and Ryou walked up beside Yami and Yugi. The general looked just as disgruntled as he always did, even if his eyes seemed to have new life in them. Beside him, gentle, beautiful Ryou buried an elbow in his stomach, scowling at him playfully.

"Stop acting like you don't like it, you big softie," he said with his normal melodious voice, allowing Serenity to give him a hug. "You're the one who gave me a huge bouquet of night-flowers on our first anniversary, with a living firefly hidden in each one."

"Aaaaaw!" Yugi cooed, grinning at Bakura, who looked even more like a particularly sour lemon. "Ryou! You never told me that! That's so romantic!"

"Never doing anything for you again," Bakura hissed to Ryou, while Yami sent a smirk at his general. But the pale boy just smiled lovingly and stood up on his tiptoes to place a kiss on Bakura's X-shaped scar. Everyone laughed, but Bakura didn't seem to mind as much anymore.

"You're here!" A happy voice suddenly sang from above them, and Mokuba landed in the middle of the crowd, making the ground shake. After four-hundred years of waiting, the dark-grey dragon had finally hit a growth-spurt; he was almost as big as Joey now, and his claws and scales had finally become those of a real dragon. Still, he was very gentle as he pulled Serenity into a warm hug.

"Hello, Mokuba," Serenity said with a laugh, hugging him back to the best of her ability. "It's good to see you."

"It's _fantastic _to see _you_!" Mokuba answered with a blinding smile. "When was the last time we saw each other? Was it… your twentieth birthday party, wasn't it! That's months ago! It's been kinda boring around here without you, you know! We have so much catching up to do! Wait until Joey sees you! He's gonna freak out! Gods, it's so good to see you, Serenity! I've missed you!"

"Mokuba, I think she gets it," Mai suddenly appeared beside the dragon and patted his scaly arm with an amused smile. "Now let go of the poor girl, and for goodness sake, lower your voice before you make all our ears bleed."

"Oh, right, sorry!" Mokuba said in a very loud whisper, and let go of Serenity with a sheepish smile. But she just laughed and assured him everything was alright. Then she let her eyes sweep over the crowd, scanning the smiling faces; most of them familiar. She frowned a little in thought.

"Speaking of Joey… I've been here for more than five minutes now." She put her hands on her hips. "So how come my big lump of a brother hasn't tried to crush every bone in my body with his hugs yet?"

"Oh, I know!" Mokuba chirped, as if it was some kind of quiz he had to win. "He's at home; hasn't left the mountain in a long time. He and Seto thought that was for the best, considering the situation and everything."

"You came at the perfect time," Mai told Serenity, standing beside the younger woman and smiling at her. "Any time now."

"That's another reason why I wanted to get here so quickly," Serenity said, her eyes suddenly lighting up with anticipation. "We can go up there, right? I so wanna see him! _All_ of them!"

"Seto wants peace and quiet," Mokuba said. "That's why I'm not up there. But he doesn't stand a chance when it comes to this; Joey really wanna see you too!"

Serenity's smile was gorgeous, but it was Tristan who put his hands together and got to work.

"Then what are we waiting for?" He asked, looking around at Duke, Yami, Yugi, Ryou, Bakura, Mai and Mokuba. "Let's get up there!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Yami said, and then, with a glance at Yugi, Ryou and Bakura, he made a gesture with his hand, and a glowing disk appeared beneath everyone's feet. Mokuba nudged Serenity softly and smiled encouragingly at her.

"Ride with me!" He suggested, bending down to make it easier for her to climb onto his back. "I'll get us up there faster!"

How could Serenity say no to that? With another broad smile, she climbed onto him, not even hesitating for a moment. They took flight with a mighty swoop of Mokuba's wings, leaving the others behind as they headed for the half circle-shaped entrance into the mountain.

* * *

A sliver of light seeped through the curtains hanging over the window in the bedroom, hitting Joey right in the eye and making him blink awake.

With a dark grunt, the golden dragon wiggled a little, scowling and turning his face away from the light, instead burying his muzzle in his partner's warm side. Finally being rid of the problem, he purred in satisfaction and inhaled Seto's scent, feeling it give him peace as it always did.

Unfortunately, the white dragon didn't seem to want him there, because he moved around a little, removing his wing from Joey's back, where it had been resting like a warm blanket. Joey whimpered at the loss.

"It's the middle of the day," Seto growled softly and dragged his cheek along Joey's muzzle, up between his eyes and over his forehead in a long, loving caress. The golden dragon just purred more. "It's ridiculous to lie around and sleep like this."

"I don't think so," Joey murmured back. He still hadn't opened his eyes, and just snuggled closer to his mate's warm, hard body.

Seto sighed and looked down at the sigh before him. The small amount of light which had been bothering Joey before now hit the scales on his long, slender neck instead, and Seto couldn't help but think that the warm light didn't stand a chance against the utter beauty of Joey's purely golden body-panzer.

Every day, the dragon-prince was reminded of the beauty that was his lover and life-long partner. Joey was smaller than him by almost two metres, and even slenderer. Sometimes he appeared almost fragile, though Seto knew that wasn't true. Joey had mastered not only the art of flying, but also that of breathing fire within the span of a year, and he moved and fought just as agilely in this body as he had done in his human one.

But at times like this, when he lay so close to Seto, purring and whimpering tiredly, Seto couldn't help but feel a sense of complete love and devotion well up inside him. This was what he had fought and died for. This was what he'd come back from the dead for, and this was what he had always wanted. This was their choice.

He knew, without the question of a doubt, that none of them had ever or would ever look back.

"Of course you don't," he snorted now, referring to Joey's earlier statement. "What else could one expect form a lazy bum like you?"

"Shut up."

Seto might have listened to the demand a little better if Joey hadn't snuggled even closer right after those words.

"Honestly, Joey," he said in a tone which was usually reserved for Mokuba, and which Joey hated with a passion, "aren't we forgetting something?"

"If course not," Joey muttered, and even though he didn't open his eyes, Seto knew he was irritated. "Not time yet."

"Are you completely sure about that?"

"Of course I am!" Joey did open his eyes now, and looked up at the white dragon with irritated amber orbs. Inside his head, Seto grinned. "What the hell do you take me for?"

"A lazy bum," Seto answered without missing a beat.

Joey glared at him, and then, before Seto knew it, he'd wiggled away and sat up on his hind legs, rubbing sleep from his eyes. It was an adorable sight; especially considering his sloppily folded wings, dazed eyes and that cute yawn of his.

"I'll show you a lazy bum," he muttered with another glare, then turned a little, fixing his eyes on the end of their bed. Seto followed his gaze, and felt his heart swell.

There, lying in the circle created by the two dragons' entwined tails, were three eggs.

They were perfectly shaped ovals with white shells, and if the light hit them just right, they glistened like pale gold. They were as big as a normally sized ten-year-old, and carefully arranged so that they were lying pressed to each other without causing any strain on the shells.

A smile spread on Joey's face as he watched them, and any anger seemed to be forgotten as he took a step closer, so that he was standing right in front of them without breaking the circle his and Seto's tails created. Silently, he leaned over so that his muzzle was only a few centimetres form the precious objects, and then he opened his mouth and breathed scorching hot air over them.

Seto watched this with pride swelling in his heart and a small, satisfied smirk on his lips. He remembered watching mothers and fathers do this all the time when he was a drakling and everything wasn't destroyed by the witches. He knew it was a very, very important task which was vital for the baby-dragons' survival (_the babies needed heat to survive in their eggs, after all_), but he had never in his wildest dreams been able to imagine himself as the one doing it. The prospect of loving someone as wholly and wonderfully as he did Joey (aside from his brother and parents, of course), and being able to share something like _this _with them… it had never even crossed his mind back then! Even now, after weeks of performing the same task at least four times a day, it was still a mind-boggling prospect. They were _taking care of their babies_!

Joey didn't stop breathing hotly until the shells were glowing red-hot, and they could almost see the small bodies moving inside (_the draklings seemed to love the procedure even more than Joey and Seto_). Then he turned back around to his husband, and the irritation was back in his gaze.

"Happy?" he snapped, and Seto leaned over and nibbled as Joey's neck with sharp teeth, loving how his mate let out a breath a little too fast.

"Very," he murmured, shifting a little closer, not breaking the circle their tails created either. "But being cooped up in this cave for so long has made me restless. Can you blame me for wanting a little entertainment? You're so much fun when you're acting all irritated."

"Do I have to remind you whose idea this whole thing with making babies was?" Joey muttered sullenly, making a poor attempt to push his mate away, even though there was no real conviction in his movements. "It's your own fault that we're here right now. Besides; you can go out hunting at least twice a week; I haven't left this stupid mountain in months, so stop complaining!"

"I'm not complaining," Seto answered, his voice deadpan as he leaned back a little to look into Joey's eyes. "I'm merely explaining why I act the way I do."

"Geez," Joey rolled his eyes and leaned over to nuzzle closer to Seto. "Saying 'Sorry' is so much easier, you know!"

"I don't have anything to say sorry for." Seto objected immediately, his voice a little sharper. "I was just-"

"Is it safe to come in?" A voice suddenly called from outside the room, and the two dragons pulled away again to gaze upon the large oak door.

"That depends on what you want!" Joey called back with a teasing smile on his face, and immediately the door flew open and Mokuba bounced inside with his usual happy smile in place.

"Good afternoon, dear brothers!" He sang and was at the edge of the bed in moments, leaning over Seto's tail to coo at the eggs. "How are my favourite nephews this morning?"

"Still not hatched, and still unable to hear you," Seto answered and rolled his eyes.

"You don't know that!" Mokuba objected. "I'm telling you; the moment those little ones come out, they're gonna look at me and say 'Uncle Mokie!'. I just know it!"

"Whatever you say, little brother," Seto sighed while Joey chuckled and winked at Mokuba. It was obvious that this was a discussion they had been over quite a few times, and Seto didn't have energy to go over it once more. "Was there a reason why you're here?"

"Oh!" Mokuba exclaimed, suddenly remembering what it was he had come for. "Serenity, Tristan and Duke are here! Serenity is waiting at the entrance, and the others are almost here as well!" Joey's eyes lit up considerably at those words. "I figured I should go ahead and tell you guys, since we know what happened last time I tried to surprise you two in here." He blushed at that, and looked at the floor. Joey did the same, while Seto cleared his throat in a somewhat strained manner.

"Well then," he said, clearly anxious to change the subject. "Why don't you go and get them, Mokuba, and we'll wait here."

Joey looked like he wanted to go with Mokuba, but Seto's tail squeezed his own in a manner which clearly said; 'I want you here with me', and he just smiled as Mokuba smiled brightly again (_embarrassment quickly forgotten_) and ran out the door with high, halesteps. It was quite and amusing sight, considering Mokuba wasn't a drakling anymore.

"Bouncy," Seto muttered and shook his head at his younger brother's disappearing shape. "He will never outgrow bouncy."

Joey laughed softly, and then gave a purr of satisfaction as Seto bent down to rub their heads together again, taking the opportunity to breath hot air on the golden scales in the same manner which Joey had done with the eggs a few moments earlier. The sensation was so wonderful Joey shivered in pleasure.

"I can't wait to see my sister," he whispered to Seto. "I've missed her so much… I was almost afraid she wouldn't make it before the eggs hatch."

"Of course she would; no one and nothing can stop that girl," Seto told him, sitting up straighter. "Especially when it comes to you."

Joey's eyes shone with happiness when he heard those words, knowing Seto never said things he didn't mean. He was just about to lean over and nuzzle Seto again when a voice he had missed the last few months rang through the corridor outside, as well as their bedroom. The next moment, Domino's young queen walked through the door.

"Joey!" she cried in delight, and the next few moments consisted of warm reunions, laughter and a lot of hugging. Serenity and Joey embraced, Tristan and Duke teased their friend affectionately (_calling him 'Mommy', among other things_) and Mokuba bounced around them, high on happiness.

When everyone had finally settled down, Serenity was sitting on the edge of the bed beside Seto and Joey, and most of the others had gathered around the three eggs, admiring and praising them. Joey only had eyes for his sister, though.

"So where's your lover-boy?" He asked Serenity, grinning like a wolf when she blushed.

"Oh, I left him in Domino," she said, trying to sound casual, but there was no denying the happy shine in her eyes when she thought of her husband of two years. Much like her family before her, Serenity had met him on the night of her eighteenth birthday, and they had gotten married a few months after that. "Someone needs to help grandpa with all the duties while I'm away, besides; those two need to learn to get along once and for all!"

"Grandpa still doesn't like him?" Joey asked, sounding half sympathetic and half amused. "It's been four years."

"You know him; he's stubborn, and Leon's lack of respect doesn't make it any better," Serenity said, rolling her eyes.

"That's so typical grandpa," Joey muttered and rolled his eyes along with her. "_My_ husband wrecked half the castle and kidnapped me, but it's _yours _he's got a problem with!"

"His priorities are strange, to say the least," Serenity agreed, but then she smiled brightly again. "But I'm sure they'll work it out sooner or later. Enough of that now! How are you doing? Excited?"

"Scared shitless," Joey said, but he was smiling softly when he turned around to look back at his eggs again. "Any moment now."

"They're gorgeous," Serenity told him as she walked over to all the others to look at her nephews-to-be. "What do you think they will be?"

"Three boys, no doubt!" Mokuba said instantly, looking proud as a peacock. "And they'll know who I am as soon as they see me! I've made sure of that!"

"It's quite amazing really," Yami said softly, still holding Yugi with one arm while he reached out to caress one of the eggs with a finger. They were still very, very warm from Joey's breath. "There haven't been any newborn dragons in over four hundred years, and now there are _three _at the same time! I heard _twins _were always seen as a miracle in the dragon clan."

"Well, this _is _the golden dragon we're talking about here," Mai said and exchanged a warm smile with Joey.

"And I didn't help at all, apparently," Seto muttered, making everyone laugh.

* * *

They stayed like that for a few hours, sitting in Seto's and Joey's room, catching up on everything that had happened in the last few months. Serenity told them about all the things she had been through, and Joey in particular listened with proud eyes. His sister truly was an incredible queen.

A few hours before sundown, something happened. Of course, Joey and Seto were the first to notice when one of the eggs gave a violent shiver and started to twitch. A few seconds later, everyone had gathered in a large circle around the eggs, staring wide-eyed and silently.

As if the two other eggs had felt their brother's movements, they too started to twitch.

"It's time!" Mokuba breathed in an excited squeal. "They're hatching!"

"Isis…" Seto said softly, and the dark-haired healer, who had acted as nurse for the three eggs in the past few weeks, knew what he wanted right away. She walked over and placed her hands on one of the eggs, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.

Slowly, as to not disturb the little one, she let her magic slip through the shell and into the drakling, calming and comforting it, as well as preparing it for what was to come. As soon as she was satisfied with the aura around that egg, she turned to the next one.

Joey watched the eggs move worriedly, and he could truly feel how distressed the small ones were. A violent, parental instinct which he had never felt before welled up inside him. He wanted to go over there and crack the shells open; help his children out, so he could see them, and touch them and admire them. But at the same time, he knew he couldn't. This process was just as important as the breathing hot air was. This way, the draklings would build their strength, as well as come into the real world at their own pace. Should Joey try to speed this up, he'd only expose them to reality too fast, and that might damage them.

Still, as the first crack appeared on one of the eggs and everyone gasped softly in wonder, he couldn't help but ache inside. They seemed to be struggling so much…

Seto moved in closer to him, and together they watched their kids fight their way out of the safe heavens which had now become their prisons.

It took almost an hour of squirming, pressing and pushing, but suddenly –_finally-_ the first drakling seemed to think 'Okay, that's it!', because the egg gave a violent lurch, and at the same time as it toppled over forward, the part at the top went flying, and a small, shimmering body landed among the pillows right in front of its parents and their friends.

"That one's got Joey's genes, for sure," Bakura remarked, but no one heard him. They were too busy staring at the small wonder in front of them.

The baby-dragon seemed to be drowning among the squishy pillows. It gave a distraught, high-pitched mewl, sounding like a kitten, and Seto immediately reached out and lifted it gently (_it was so small; fitting easily in his hand_), placing it on his lower back instead, where it was safe from drowning.

Now everyone got a good luck at the newborn. It was, just as Mokuba had stated, a male, and he was very, very small. Tiny, tiny wings sprouted from his back (_he didn't seem to know where to put them_) and the scales, which hadn't really developed into scales yet, shimmered like pale gold when the sun hit them, while they seemed snowy white in the shadows. Even so tiny, he looked like a miniature Seto, only a little slenderer, like Joey. Huge, curious eyes stared at all of them; one blue, and one amber.

Joey had never in his whole life seen anything so beautiful.

"By the gods…" Ryou breathed, and everyone understood what he meant.

The drakling turned its round eyes towards Serenity, who was standing closest to Seto, and mewled again, in delight. It started walking towards her, but stumbled on Seto's scales and tumbled off of him clumsily, right into her arms.

"Definitely Joey's genes," Bakura muttered.

"Hello, little nephew," Serenity said softly, gazing into clear, innocent eyes. She didn't seem to mind the sudden armful of baby-dragon. "My, aren't you pretty."

She got another mewl in answer, and tiny teeth nibbled at a lock of her hair, before a small muzzle rubbed against her collarbone affectionately.

Watching all this, Seto felt a sudden wave of jealousy overcome him, mixing with the swelling pride, and he had to hide a scowl as he bent down and exhaled a hot breath over his son.

Recognizing the feeling immediately, the baby-dragon turned around and gazed up into sharp blue eyes. It gave another mewl, louder this time, and squirmed in Serenity's arms, as if to say: 'Put me down!' She obliged, loosening her grip, and the drakling immediately managed to crawl his way up onto Seto's muzzle, where he held in tight with small claws. Joey and the others couldn't help but laugh at the look on Seto's face as he slowly raised his head again, going cross-eyed as he tried to look at the baby sitting right on his head.

Joey's face was shining when he leaned over and breathed hot air on the baby as well. Once again, it squealed in delight and nuzzled Joey's face, obviously very happy to finally meet its parents.

"I believe congratulations are in order," Yami said with a large smile at his two friends, and Yugi held on to him even tighter. "Truly a beautiful child."

Everyone agreed to that enthusiastically.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Isis told them softly, still sitting with her hands pressed to one of the eggs. "There are still two to go."

And so Seto and Joey made sure their first-born was sitting comfortably between Joey's folded wings, and then they returned to their anxious watching. They didn't have to wait as long this time. Barely five minutes later, the second egg cracked open, and a small head, identical to the first one, peeked out, giving a soft whine as it seemed to get stuck in the hole which was really too small for it. A few moments of squeezing did the trick though, and everyone gave a sigh of relief as the second one finally tumbled out onto the cushions, also almost drowning among them.

The third one was a lot less dramatic. The top of the egg came loose completely, and they all watched as it lifted up. Joey got a glimpse of one huge blue eye, before the egg clicked shut again.

"No need to be scared, little one," Mokuba told the egg encouragingly. "It's me; Uncle Mokuba, I'll protect you, I promise!"

And those words actually seemed to work, because the egg-hat lifted once again, and now two eyes became visible in the gap. A moment's hesitation, then the hatchling pushed the hat off, sitting there in the middle of the egg and looking up at Mokuba with a questioning look.

Mokuba just turned victorious eyes to Seto.

"See?" He said. "I told you they heard me!"

The rest of that afternoon was spent admiring the newborns. The triplets –males, all three of them- were identical; and they had a lot of spunk, even at this age. When the last one had finally fought his way out of his egg and gotten familiar with his parents, they had been placed together on Joey's back. They had sniffed each other for a few moments, and then the oldest one had promptly delivered a hard smack to the middle-brother's nose, making him squeal angrily.

"Did we ever fight like that?" Mokuba asked Seto as he helped his brother and Joey get the egg-shards out of the bed. All three of them glanced over to where the three small ones were wrestling on the floor, as if they hadn't at all been born only a few moments ago.

"Never," Seto assured him. "They do remind me of myself and Noah, though."

"Sibling rivalry," Joey almost cringed as the youngest of his children yelped in pain at a particularly bard bite from one of his brothers, and then started to whimper pitifully. "That will be the worst part of parenting, no doubt. Maybe we shouldn't have gotten three at the same time."

"As if we could have decided that," Seto said, watching as Mai, Yugi and Ryou bent down to pick up a drakling each and separate them. "It's not _my_ fault that you're ridiculously fertile."

Joey sent him a poisonous glare while he walked over to comfort his youngest, who was still whimpering in Ryou's arms while Serenity and Isis stood beside him and tried to comfort him. Seto just smirked, and watched the scene playing out in front of him: his lover nuzzling their baby gently, making the little one feel better, while the other two snapped at each other playfully from Mai's and Yugi's embraces, while Duke and Tristan watched, laughing. Despite anything he might say, he knew that this was what he wanted. This was true happiness, and he would never want it ant other way. Sure, raising three babies at the same time wouldn't be easy, but since when did he and Joey do things easily?

No, this was right for them. And as he watched Joey take their child gently from Ryou and curl up with him on their bed, he knew that Joey felt the same, no matter what he said.

"_Oh my god_!"

Everyone's heads snapped up at the exclamation, and Seto's eyes widened as he caught sight of Malik and Marik standing in the doorway, dressed in travelling-clothes and with their bags still slung over their shoulders. It was almost a year since the two had left on another expedition to find any more dragons, just like Malik had promised he would do, but they hadn't changed one bit. Still as blond, and still as crazy. Marik stepped into the room with a wide grin.

"_Spawns!_" he exclaimed, looking like a child on Christmas Eve. "We're gone for a year, and come home to a bunch of Spawns! Awesome!"

Malik just sighed and rolled his eyes as Marik practically bounced over to Mai, Tristan and Duke to get a better look at the oldest of Seto's and Joey's sons. It took him two minutes to get bitten.

"Welcome back," Seto told Malik, whom had walked over and bowed in front of him. He didn't look at the blond, though; he was too busy keeping an eye on Marik, to make sure the deranged werewolf didn't scare his children (_so far, the two oldest seemed to be holding their own: they were growling warningly at Marik while all the grownups laughed heartily and Marik just kept provoking them_). "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, master Seto," Malik said, and now, when Seto finally turned to look at him, he noticed that something seemed to have changed. Malik looked… at peace. As if he'd accomplished everything he was supposed to. As if he'd found and fulfilled the meaning of his life. Isis had looked the same for weeks and weeks after granting Seto his wish four years ago.

Wait a minute…

"Malik?"

The blond turned to look at him, and when blue met violet… he smiled. A true, sincere smile.

"Come with me, master Seto," Malik said almost softly, and turned and walked out of the room.

Seto felt as if something thick had clogged up his throat, but he still followed the young explorer out of his bedroom, away from his quickly expanding family, and down the corridor towards the cave-entrance.

Malik stopped in the half circle-shaped opening, looking up at the sky with the same peaceful smile on his lips. Seto stood beside him, gazing upwards as well. He felt as if his heart would explode.

"I did it," Malik stated softly, even though there was really no need. "It took me a long time… and it wasn't easy… but just like my sister, I fulfilled my duty towards you. I found them. I'm done."

"…Indeed you are," Seto said softly, and for the first time ever, his voice was trembling with restrained feelings. "Good job."

"Seto?" He heard the golden love of his life say from behind him, and Joey stepped up beside him, so close that they were touching. Their youngest was sitting on top of Joey's head, studying his father with the same puzzled expression as Joey. Mokuba stepped up on Seto's other side, one of the other baby-dragons sitting on his back. The third one was held in the arms of Serenity, who now stood beside Joey. The rest of the gang gathered around them, everyone just as curious as to what was going on. Malik, on the other hand, took a step back, finding and gripping Marik's hand, and smiling when the werewolf squeezed it gently.

Everyone gasped when they looked outside, and Seto felt his heart beat faster as Joey pressed close to him. The slender, golden body was trembling as bad as Seto's own.

"Well, this is a sight you don't see everyday," Tristan remarked, sounding breathless and awed, and no one answered or objected. They had no words for the sight. Even Bakura was struck speechless.

But in some way, Joey _still_ managed to lean in to Seto, press their bodies closer together, and caress his cheek in something akin to a kiss. There were no words needed after that; they understood each other completely, and Seto had never loved him more than right then.

They were alive, they were together, and they had their whole life in front of them. Things still needed to be done and explained, new duties would arise along the way… but right now, they just watched, silently and happily, as the sky was almost completely covered in the powerful, shimmering, beautiful bodies of over a hundred different dragons. _  
_

_Today is where you both begin  
The rest is still Unwritten_

**THE END **


End file.
